


Miscalculation

by sweepingtree



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, 半妖の夜叉姫 | Hanyou no Yashahime | Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Anime)
Genre: Discussion of Abortion, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Fluff, Happy Ending, Parent Sesshoumaru (InuYasha), Parenthood, Post-Canon, Pregnancy, Romance, Sexual Content, Smut, Unplanned Pregnancy, no pedomaru, sesskagu, yashahime is dead to me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:22:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 35,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28992870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweepingtree/pseuds/sweepingtree
Summary: Sesshoumaru and Kagura finds out they are pregnant.
Relationships: Kagura & Sesshoumaru (InuYasha), Kagura/Sesshoumaru (InuYasha)
Comments: 149
Kudos: 179





	1. Scent

Her scent had changed. 

Starkly.

She was asleep in his futon when he returned to their rooms in his castle from a meeting with a coalition of minor demon clans that pledged fealty to his rule. It had stretched longer than was necessary and he supposed she got bored of waiting up. They had only returned a day before from visiting Rin in the human village and Kagura had wanted to spend the day alone in the sky. 

His senses had jumped into alertness the moment he pushed open the sliding doors and his awareness flooded with the foreign scent of burnt oak, overpowering her familiar scent of ozone and brine that had long become a permanent fixture in his private quarters. His eyes scanned the largely sparse chambers for intruders, flaring his youki to detect for the presence of any errant beings in the vicinity. Was she injured? Had the barrier in his stronghold been breached? His servants were not so incompetent to let in some--

_Ah._

Perhaps he should have anticipated this, all things considered. Their coupling had been fierce and frequent, and Kagura had been living in his castle since the previous harvest season. But inu-daiyoukai fertility was notoriously low, and the story of how the Inu no Taishou had taken merely four years into his mating with the Lady of the Sky to produce an heir was still told among inu-youkai during social festivities as one of the many astonishing anecdotes of his prowess.

Embarrassing. Kagura was not - _is not_ \- inu-daiyoukai. Fool he was to have forgotten that.

He had found himself unwilling to crawl into the futon, so he sat on the floor with his back leaning against the wall. Just close enough to confirm that, indeed, the nutty and burnt scent was emanating from her. It was not wholly unfamiliar. Women with swelling bellies always emanated a heated scent, humans and demons alike. It would only grow stronger with time. 

Not that he minded. 

Not that he would ever mind _her._

An unbidden thought had crept into his mind, and he found himself frowning in annoyance at its existence. He would never have caged her intentionally and this _was_ a cage of sorts, perhaps worse than a physical cage, for this was not captivity she could fight her way out of. Her freedom was hard wrought and she had already died once to pay for it. He had not mated her for this reason. Had not asked. Would not. 

Would she run? Would she blame him for his lapse? Would she-

_Would she want to keep it?_

That line of thought was dangerous so he worked to excise it from his mind. Fool he. Nothing frightened this Sesshoumaru, and the idea of having a child was nothing to fear, it was...welcome, even, he found. He stared at Kagura’s sleeping form across from him, one arm thrown across her head, her breath even and slow. Rin had been a starving skinny whelp when he first found her and yet he kept her alive and healthy for years even while they constantly slept rough and travelled in search of that thrice-cursed hanyou Naraku. He was a Lord, a daiyoukai. His territory spread for miles in these Western lands and he provided for those in his care. Any child born of him would never be left for wanting. His child would have the most brilliant tutors and know only the feel of silk on their skin and would only eat the finest of delicacies and have the first cuts of the bounty at the annual inu-daiyoukai hunts and have the training only a handful of beings in the world could even imagine having and his mate would need only ask and her every need would be met and-- 

Just what the fuck was he thinking?

He would never trap her.

He would send for the physician in the castle soon. Kagura could do as she pleased. She would take the tincture that terminated the growth in her belly. She would anger at him for having brought her this predicament and she would leave. _Or she might--_ No. 

He had been alone. That suited him just fine.

He inhaled deeply, savoring the burnt wood that invaded his senses, eyeing the sleeping wind sorceress as she slumbered. _Fool he_. He scoffed at these unnecessary trivial feelings, closed his eyes, and slept. 

\-----

Kagura was awake, and her heartbeat had barely just quickened for a breath before she leapt out of the futon and lurched to the privy connected to the chambers. Sounds of her retching into the commode followed. He supposed if she was far along for him to scent it the night before, the morning sickness was to be expected. He kept his eyes closed even as he heard the sounds of her stumbling back to their futon, apparently unwilling to rise yet. 

“Fucking hell, Sesshoumaru. You’ve got to kill that head chef of yours.”

“...why.” He sniffed. It seems living in close proximity with inu-youkai for the past few months had influenced her, as a growl started rumbling in her chest. 

“She’s tried to poison me _twice_ now! I know she’s been with your family for generations but if she can’t accept that I’m fucking her precious and perfect Lord then her head must roll. Or do I need to get it done myself?” Surely the way she had rolled her eyes so far up her head was worsening the nausea. Stubborn witch. 

“You’re immune.” His eyes snapped open to see Kagura slipping back into the covers next to him. The crone Fukoda would never stoop to using poisons and Kagura herself had recovered from her bout of exhaustion and headache - her symptoms of ‘being poisoned’ - promptly after a long nap. That was last month when she went out flying for two days without rest. Sesshoumaru had summoned the servants and combed through the kitchens himself through the night, sniffing every bottle and vessel, interrogating every one of his staff and tasting the scents of their person and clothing to detect for contaminants before he satisfied himself that there was not a breach in where his servants’ loyalties lay. He was further assured by the fact that Kagura had only taken a bite of fish before she retired, a fish that he himself ate from. Had Fukoda or anyone else been fool enough to try poisons, he would have had them and their families publicly dismembered. 

He did not need a repeat of this conversation, though. So he did not mention it again. 

Besides, she _was_ immune. Frequent exposure to his own poisons and venom had guaranteed that. 

“Oh? Now the great and powerful Sesshoumaru-sama is also a physician who is an expert in demon physiology? That’s fucking fantastic! There’s nothing he can’t do!” Her eyes flashed in annoyance even as she eased herself back onto her pillow with a hand coming to rest on her brows, a soft sigh escaping her gently parted lips and her eyes narrowing in a slight frown. He allowed a slight quirk to one side of his lips but quickly looked away. She was feeling more unwell than she would admit, it seems. 

He would have to send for a physician earlier than he would have preferred. She would know the truth soon, then she would be gone. Shame. He could have grown used to this smell of burnt oak.

“I will send for the physician.” 

Perhaps it was best to just get it done as soon as possible. 

\-----

Sesshoumaru had left to give her some privacy but the longer he stood on the engawa that fringed their rooms, the more he wished he stayed. At least then, he could see how she reacted to learning the truth. His private chambers have been secured with a privacy charm that blocked out all noise and movement from within and, while he was sure it was a very sound investment that he had benefited extensively from, at this very moment, he cursed its existence. 

He had not even seen her smile this morning. A shame that he might not ever see it again. 

He snorted. He had long resigned to the fact that he had allowed himself the mortifying humiliation of carving a space out of his life for another being, but still did not consider himself to be sentimental. Yet now he found himself...missing her smile? He sneered at the ridiculousness of the situation. If anyone saw him as he was now, he would be mocked into the next century. 

The sounds of the sliding door opening and closing pulled him from his musings. He turned to see the physician Koto slip out from the room and bend into a low bow. The form which the water demon preferred to wear was deceptively child-like with her small stature and hair done up in twintails, though she had served in his employ for the past two centuries now. 

“My lord,” she inclined her head in a further display of deference, holding her pack of instruments close at her feet. “Lady Kagura has dismissed me. I have made my diagnosis known to the Lady and left with her a chit detailed with the possible...options for her condition as well as my recommendations which I will compound immediately once I'm back in the apothecary. Should she wish to take them, she could summon me again. I could repeat the details to you now, if you wish it.”

_Though it is nothing you don't already know,_ was left unsaid. He moved to open the sliding doors before turning slightly to look at the still-bowing physician. Koto was nothing if not professional, her reputation impeccable, but a reminder would not hurt.

"Your discretion or your tongue."

"Yes, m'lord."

\-----

Kagura was in the privy again when he entered the room. She had not yet had her morning meal, was there even anything in her stomach to regurgitate? There was that strong burnt wood scent in the air again, punctuated by sour notes from her retching. As she slid open the privy doors and locked her eyes across the room with his, he idly wondered if he would ever sense that stormy scent of hers again, and when. 

"You knew, didn't you?" Her eyes narrowed while she crawled back on the futon, not bothering to get under the covers. She leaned back on the headboard and held a pillow to her chest, knees drawn up so her chin could rest upon it.

He saw no reason to obscure the truth. "Yes."

"How long?"

"Yesterday."

She huffed. "You could have said something before I appeared like a complete idiot in front of that watery child you call your physician."

He said nothing to that. Koto had proven herself hundreds of times over, and besides, they had something of greater import to discuss. He walked over to the side of the futon and sat down, eyes lingering at the wall opposite of him. Waiting.

"Well?"

He met her eyes.

"I'm pregnant and it seems like it's your fault."

"I-"

"I remember asking you if we needed to take precautions, and oh, remind me how you responded to that again?" His furrows came together in a frown. She only asked once, taking him for his word. 

And he had failed her.

"I...miscalculated."

"Hm. So the great Sesshomaru is not infallible after all. Who would've thought." She sighed, moving forward to lay the pillow behind her so that she could lean backwards comfortably, then she was frowning and had her eyes closed again. “Ah, fuck. That physician said this retching would continue for the next three months at least. I doubt I can fly in this time.”

Sesshoumaru inhaled deeply. He would protect her until she was recovered, of course. It is known that the tincture that would cause the termination would leave her bedridden for at least a week, even with her youki speeding up her healing. Whether she would leave or stay after the procedure was irrelevant; her being here in his stronghold would ensure she received the most nutritious meals and the best herbal concoctions to expedite her recovery and- 

Did she say the _next three months_?

An unfamiliar feeling arose through his chest, a quick probe inwards identified it as disbelief. He schooled his features with an imperceptible shake of his head. 

_The next three months, the next three months, the next three months, the next-_

“You’re keeping the babe.” _The next three months..._

Kagura stared at him, a scowl slowly spreading across her features. She sat up straight in the futon and turned her body to face him fully. 

“Did you think I would not?” She raised her chin sharply at him. “Did you not want me to keep it?”

He found he had no reply for her. Did she want his input? What else was he supposed to think? That she, who fought so terribly for her freedom paid for twice over with her death, would willingly tie herself down to him so rigidly, so _permanently,_ after she had finally found her way back to life again? That she would do that, give so much of herself for-

“I never meant to trap you.”

Kagura scoffed. “It isn’t much of a trap if I chose it for myself. Of course I’m keeping it. What were you thinking?” She moved to lean back on the headboard again, a hand idly rubbing at her chest. 

Sesshoumaru frowned. He should have insisted Koto returned immediately after the appropriate medicines for treating nausea were compounded, now time would be wasted while he summoned her again and Kagura would continue to suffer for it.

“You are...staying.”

“Did you wish for me to leave?” He felt her irritation in the stirrings of air around them in the enclosed chamber before she even said the words. Relief washed through his body that, if he was in his usual state of mind he would have been embarrassed by how it was surely shown evidently in his features. 

“No.” _Never._

“I want a chamberpot so that I can retch without having to get up to the privy. A new one.” She breathed, her eyes closed once again. “And more pillows and maybe blankets, preferably something that feels like that mokomoko of yours. I want two more- No, make that three.” 

He would give her anything. Everything. She need only ask and-

“And a washbasin, refilled every hour with clean water. And I want the walls of your rooms to be removed, it is much too stuffy. And-”

It will be done. Whatever she needs. He stood up and made to leave the room.

She huffed. “Where are you going? I wasn’t done.”

“To fetch your morning meal.” He would do that personally from now on, that would let him taste the food before she took it. Immune to poisons or not, he wanted to be secure. “And to get started with the preparations for our formal mating rituals.”

She stared at him. _What?_

“My son will not be born a bastard.” Obviously. She snorted and waved her hand in dismissal before moving to lie back down on the futon. Seems she was indeed not willing to rise yet. He looked at her again before closing off the sliding doors, inhaling deeply to savour the nutty warm scent that he now knew would be the new norm in his stronghold in the near future and feeling warmer and lighter than he had felt in centuries. 

Belatedly, he realised he had not actually asked her to be his mate. But she had not said no. 

She had stayed. 

And that was enough. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thank you for reading this all the way through! This is the first time I'm writing a fic because there just aren't enough sesskagu fics going around and I'm starved. Might be a little OOC; I'm just really not very good at this lol. Hope you enjoyed it nevertheless! Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated! 🥺👉👈 Please let me know how I can improve!


	2. Heartbeat

She never took him for the meditating type but he’d taken to doing it for the past three nights now. There  _ was  _ a meditation room in his keep, but she'd never seen him step foot in there. So why was he meditating now?

Or at least, that’s what he was doing, right? 

What  _ was _ he doing? Kagura studied her husband, his back facing her as he sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed. She knew from the days before that he would have his eyes closed, his breathing long, deliberate, and infrequent. He scarcely moved unless she called for him, and he did not speak unless she spoke first. If today was like the days before, he’d be at it all the way until he came under the covers to sleep. 

Was this some secret inu-youkai ritual that he had yet to inform her about? Was the winter chill getting to him and this was some way of negating that? She smirked, amused. He had indeed taken off a big chunk of his stone walls and replaced them all with sliding door frames at her request. Pregnancy had its perks, despite the nausea which, unfortunately, did not seem to be abating anytime soon. Wind swirled freely with the sliding doors left open, a habit that she maintained now that she had trouble flying. She supposed it was cold, which she was largely unaffected by and she had thought Sesshoumaru didn’t mind it too much too. But perhaps she thought wrong. 

Well, they always closed the doors before they turned in, and if he was cold he should have said something earlier. 

“What are you doing?” She had her hand idly resting on her belly while she lounged. It had been a little close to a month since they’d discovered she was expecting and almost two weeks since they've mated with the official rites, and while her bump was by no means prominent, it  _ was _ there, just barely, and she could faintly feel youki - uniquely different from her own - emanating from within. She could feel it stronger when her hand rested over her belly, like some sort of a fuzzy texture against her own energies? A certain warmth-? That seeped through her fingers? 

She couldn’t define it, but it felt nice - natural - to have her hand over it. Maybe that’s why pregnant parents always liked doing that. She hoped this feeling would grow stronger with time.

Sesshoumaru had opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her. Candlelight fringed the side of his face and his silver hair seemed to come aglow. His golden eyes had always been piercing and he looked at her now through his lashes, gaze relaxed and unguarded. 

By the gods, he was beautiful. 

Would their child look like that?

Kagura blushed. It was not like her to be so...romantic. What was she? A shy youth being courted for the first time? A lovelorn princess imagining a rendezvous with her illicit lover? She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

“Hn?" 

"I asked, what are you doing?"

He shifted to face her fully, one hand coming to absently massage her ankle which was under the covers. Sesshoumaru may have been an emotionless jerk when they first met but the progression into their relationship had shown that he could be real doting and gentle too. 

In private only, of course. The great and mighty Sesshoumaru-sama was too important to have too many know he wasn't made of stone. She smirked. He's sweet, though he would probably scowl if she said that out loud.

"I'm listening."

She frowned and cocked her head. "For what?" It definitely wasn't anything from potential enemies or intruders that they had to be alert for. He was too relaxed for that to be the case.

"Our son's heartbeat." 

She straightened, gaping at him with surprise. 

Wh-what? 

_ What the fuck?  _

He could do that?

That's...not fair.

"How- What does it sound like?" She leaned forwards, eager. He met her eyes and she could see a rare, slight smile tugging at his lips. That smug asshole. 

"It is faint. Drowned out if I get too close to you. Only when I focus and still my own breath, I could sift it out. But only barely." He continued his kneading on her ankles, moving on to the other one now. "I realised sitting here and keeping silent was the best way to catch it. But it is still elusive."

Oh. 

Tch. She should have expected that. He was inu-youkai afterall. Still, she felt unreasonably annoyed by that revelation. She would have liked to be able to hear it too. She rubbed her hand over her belly, the softly glowing youki overlapped her own and provided some sense of comfort for this injustice. At least she had this, Sesshoumaru could gloat all he wanted but he didn’t have-

“It’s here again.” She looked up and saw his eyes had slightly glazed over, his hand paused on her ankle and his breath stilled. He met her eyes.

“I’ll show you.” 

_ What? _

He squeezed her ankle lightly once. Then squeezed again. And again. And again. And again. 

A rhythm.

A heartbeat.

Kagura’s vision clouded as unbidden tears burned her eyes, threatening to spill. She spent her life missing a heartbeat of her own. She had gone to hell and clawed her way out before she finally had hers back.

And now she had two. 

Sesshoumaru stopped squeezing. Had it stopped then? She blinked and dragged her knuckles over her eyes. Fuck, she’d better not start crying over every little damned thing now. She looked up and saw him slightly shaking his head and he moved to sit next to her.

“You’d better let me know whenever you hear it again. I don’t care if I’m deep asleep. You’ll wake me up. I don't care if I'm in the privy or throwing my guts up again, you'll let me know immediately. You hear me?” She sniffed as he slid an arm around her waist, bringing his face close enough to nuzzle his nose at her temple. "I can't believe you hid it from me for three days-"

"This one would never hide anything from my mate. I simply wasn't certain." His voice was a deep rumble which she could feel through his chest now that he had brought his arms around to embrace her fully. He inhaled deeply and she found herself being pulled closer to his warmth. A clawed hand raised to dry off the last of the tears lingering on her cheek. To think he'd once used those claws as a weapon against her, back when they first met. She had never expected to start seeing those hands as anything else than a threat, but look where they are now. 

But then again he was never anything she expected. 

She wrapped her arms around him to return the embrace, placing her head on his chest as he moved them to a reclining position. They laid like this every night. Before her nausea meant they had to stop with their frequent coupling, they had lain like this in the afterglow. They would talk - well, mostly she would be talking, her husband was nothing if not taciturn - and she would be listening to his heartbeat. The low and steady rhythm was as reassuring and calming to her as his warmth.

Her heart clenched at recalling the feeling of the child's heartbeat. That moment had been too fleeting. She needed to feel it again. 

She needed to feel her child's heartbeat again.

_ Their _ child.

Gods, it was still weird to think that.

"Are you hearing it again, Sesshoumaru?"

A slight shake of his head. "No, it is too faint and your own heart overpowers it."

Hmph. Figures. 

Tomorrow, then. In the meantime, she had  _ his _ heartbeat to lull her to sleep. 

It was already more than she had ever asked for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter one today just to get it out of my system. Inspired by this tumblr post (https://inupapas.tumblr.com/post/640990375020003328/sesshomaru-kagura-parenting-headcanons)!! Their headcanons made my heart feel so full! Like I mentioned in the previous chapter, this is my first time writing so I'm really kinda amazed by how much fun it is? Nobody told me how writing something out makes it feel so real?? 😭😭
> 
> Thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments in the previous chapter 🥺 You're all very kind and I loved reading your thoughts. I hope you could also send some feedback or writing advice my way if you have them!


	3. Nausea

Sesshoumaru had long left the room when she finally decided to rise. He was probably at the dining hall already, waiting for her. These days she could barely bring herself to get up in bed, and only did so with much effort. Just rolling over made her head spin and stomach churn, and she had to pause in between freshening up her face, rinsing her mouth, and getting dressed. Sesshoumaru had suggested she be assisted by the attendants assigned to her and she had scoffed at him. What, was she some fragile invalid now? The only time she'd need help dressing is if she was dead. 

There was a small dish with two slices of vegetable crackers on the side table next to their futon, which her husband replenished himself every morning ever since the physician had informed them that the nausea was worsened by an empty stomach. The idea was to always have some snack within reach anytime she might want it.

His thoughtfulness warmed her, but she left it untouched today. Not like it had helped, the anti-nausea concoction was the only thing that eased her at all so far, and even then it didn’t do much. Besides, she was determined to have her morning meal in the dining hall today anyway. 

Being grounded was bad enough, and she would lose her mind if she kept herself cooped up in their rooms any longer. She’d better hurry before he thought she was too unwell to head down again and brought up a tray. 

She stood up slowly, one hand on the table to steady herself. This weakness was embarrassing but she supposed it couldn’t be helped. Apparently inu-daiyoukai struggled incommensurately during pregnancy as compared to most other demonkind, with the fetus instinctually attempting to shift forms in-utero. Thank the fucking heavens they couldn’t actually shift, but their constant trying to certainly puts a huge strain on the mother’s body and youki. It was a big reason why Sesshoumaru had gone all over-protective and annoyingly compliant to her every whim. 

She wasn’t inu-daiyoukai, and it’s just her fucking luck that she had to go get herself knocked up by one now, wasn’t it? 

Koto had admitted that midwifery wasn’t her expertise - Sesshoumaru had not hired her expecting to ever need someone with that realm of knowledge - and she knew he worried over finding someone else whom he could trust as a replacement just for the time when she was pregnant. But the physician had predicted that Kagura might have worse symptoms that lasted longer and have a harder time with the gestation period because of this. Much as she was powerful, daiyoukai bodies - and fetuses - were different. 

Her body, as it was now, was simply not built to harbour one. 

“Don’t think I won’t cuss you out just because you’re mine,” she muttered, a hand coming to rest on her belly, her bump wasn’t big but it had grown in the past two months and it was evident even through her kosode now. This child better learned to calm down and stop with its bullshit soon or it would know hell when it finally came. She felt a wave of nausea wash over her and took a deep breath to let it simmer down. At least she’d only thrown up once this morning. That’s a good start. 

Ten months... So she had about eight more to go. And if the physician's word could be trusted as Sesshoumaru had insisted, she had at least another month to go before this constant retching eased. Thinking about this made her cringe but she steeled herself. As surprising as this pregnancy was, she was determined to see it through. 

Naraku had robbed her of her first life. She would live her life fully now that he had no hold over her.

Pain was good. 

Pain meant she was alive. 

Pain that allowed her to create a new life of her own? Pain that resulted from the creation of a being that came from her union with the man who had chosen to intertwine his life so deeply with hers as she had with his? Even better. 

She would bear this just fine.

Sesshoumaru knew her more intimately than any living being, but he was wrong to have thought she might not want this.

This child was hers. 

This child was _hers._

They'd have to kill her again to take it from her. And she'll drag whoever dared do so along with her to hell.

“Now behave. Mum needs to eat.” She rubbed lightly over her obi as she felt the pulsing of the child’s youki wash over her hand, then headed towards the dining hall, waving off the servants that Sesshoumaru had annoyingly planted outside their chambers to wait on her. Well, at least Jaken wasn't part of the entourage today. Thank the fucking gods. 

She snarled at them, annoyed. She could walk on her own perfectly.

Slowly and gingerly, with one hand on her belly at all times, she went to join her husband. 

\-----

He was waiting at the entrance of the dining hall when she arrived, a slight frown over his brows. She had stopped to retch once on the way and she was certain he must have heard it, yet he did not rush over immediately. 

Good. She had yelled at him for being suffocating yesterday and it seemed he would stop it. 

“Kagura.” 

“I made it here on my own today. Aren’t you proud?” She snickered as he took hold of her arm firmly and she let him lead her to the table, the door sliding closed behind them. Nobody else would enter the hall while they ate. She could see two table settings set up, with multiple small dishes fanning a small bowl of rice for each of them. A clean chamberpot sat next to where she would sit. They had one in every room now in the keep now. 

“Hn.” He took his place to kneel on the tatami next to her as she sat. She nudged at her food with her chopsticks and stared at them glumly. Everything was plainly boiled with no seasoning that she could discern; they had yet to find something flavourful that wouldn’t immediately turn her stomach. 

She was supposed to be hungry but it suddenly felt like it was too much effort to eat. She’d have to lift her arms, she’d have to chew, and she’d have to swallow. The rice would be sticky and chewy. The soup scorching. The fish fatty and rich. The vegetables crunchy. Just imagining the combination of textures in her mouth was enough to put her off. And all that effort just to throw it all up within a few minutes? She sighed and placed her chopsticks back on the table. 

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her, a movement so small it could barely have been noticeable by anyone less observant. “Not to your liking?”

“You’ve taken a bite out of everything from my plates. That’s disgusting. I don’t want to eat your leftovers.” She said dryly and they both knew she didn’t mean it. He had been tasting her food ever since they learned she was pregnant and she’d always let him. She just felt lousy now having come all the way down to the dining hall only to realise she did not have an appetite. 

He rolled his eyes, having seen through her immediately. He stood up and walked over to the sliding doors where attendants were waiting outside.

“The Lady wants okayu.”

She sighed. No, the Lady had had okayu _every. damned. day_. for the past two months and she’s fucking sick and tired of it, but she said nothing as it was something that they knew she could definitely swallow without throwing it up. He knelt back down and picked out a piece of sliced cod to put on her plate. 

“We’ll try this today. You’ll feel worse if you don’t eat.”

"I'll feel terrible regardless." She slumped and pressed the heel of her hands to her eyes, elbows coming to lean on the table. 

But he's right, and she couldn't possibly let her child starve now, could she? She had to eat before she could take the anti-nausea medication anyway. She snapped up the chopsticks on the table and decisively took the whole piece of cod into her mouth. Fuck, she could taste its fattiness. But she had decided to eat, right? She chewed.

Chewed once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Hey, it's going good. She might just be able to swallow-

Her gorge rose so quickly and suddenly she barely had time to retch into the chamberpot that was ready next to her. Sesshoumaru had his hand over her back in a moment. Him rubbing circles on her back did fuck all, but it made her feel comforted nevertheless. Gods, it’s good that he never allowed any servants in the room with them as they ate.

He handed her a cup of tea to rinse off her mouth and she accepted it, appreciating how the warm bitter liquid eased off some of the gorge. He moved to clear the chamberpot away from her and went to the doors. 

Oh, the attendant had returned with the okayu. She could swallow that at least. 

Sesshoumaru was efficient in replacing the bowl of rice in front of her with the congee. A small dish followed, and on it sat a few slices of pickled plum sitting in brine. Hm? That one was new. She quickly took a spoonful of the congee and placed a slice of plum in it, raising the spoon to her mouth before her determination to eat withered. 

The okayu went down easily, it was mainly water after all, and she chewed on the plum. Oh, these were nice. It was tangy and fragrant. She could definitely eat this. Why haven’t they brought it for her before?

He must have seen the question on her face. “Rin bottled the plums herself.” She knew he would never have admitted to it but his voice tinged with a hint of pride when he said that. The babe in her may be their firstborn together, but make no mistake, Rin was the eldest child of the Lord of the Western Lands. That much was common knowledge.

He must have picked up a jar when he went over to visit the human village the day before, and Kagura felt a pang of regret in her chest. She had been joining him to his visits to the village where Rin resided ever since she moved in with him, and had come to enjoy the girl’s pure and infectious cheerfulness. This latest visit was the first in a long time in which she had not gone with him, on account of the fact that her condition made it impossible for her to go flying. Going on foot was also inconceivable, on account of the fact that Sesshoumaru was ridiculously paranoid about her going _anywhere_ outside of their keep at all right now. 

Oh, he wouldn’t stop her, but he’d make the journey so insufferable that she’d want to turn back around immediately. 

She picked up another piece of plum and plopped it into her mouth. Her nausea had actually retreated a little.

“It's good. I want more of this.” She pointed and he gave a curt nod, and she knew that he would see to it that she would have her own bottle of it in their rooms by the time she made her way back. Encouraged by the fact that she was able to swallow her first bite of food, she picked out another piece of cod and nibbled on it carefully. 

She swallowed, and did not retch. 

Progress. _Finally._ She picked up a small slice of carrot with her chopsticks, the other hand coming to gently rub her bump. 

_Do_ **_not_ ** _fuck this up for us. You’ll eat your food and you’ll enjoy it or I’m going to look forward to meeting you when you’re born._

Well, not as if she wasn’t already looking forward to her child’s birth. Heavens know the next few months would be too long and too slow. Relief at having her symptoms eased aside, she just couldn’t wait to see what it looked like. She couldn't wait to meet her child.

But a firm hand is needed in parenting, right? 

The child would be spoiled rotten if she left it up to Sesshoumaru, heir or not. One just needed to look at the lavish gifts that he’s sending Rin all the time to know that he was _that_ sort of father. It simply wouldn’t do. 

She would have to be the voice of reason in this parenting thing.

Might as well start now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jokes on you, Kagura. You're gonna end up spoiling them worse than Sesshoumaru lmao
> 
> I really wanted to write something from Sesshoumaru's POV for this one at first, but Kagura was so fun to write! Tried to explore her feelings about her being pregnant a little bit more here.
> 
> Thank you all again for your comments and feedback 🥺🥺🥺 It really is so encouraging!!! You're all so kind! Thank you for taking the time and effort to write a review! Hope you can continue to let me know what you think! 🖤


	4. Mother

They had to find another physician. One equipped with the necessary experience. 

And fast.

Kagura was asleep on his shoulder, facing away from him, and he absently rubbed his hand over her arm as she slumbered, his mokomoko draped over her body in place of the covers. Her breath was slow, and he took comfort in the fact that her expression was one of relaxation and peace, not contorting in discomfort as it was wont to be of late. He would lay down with her and hold her throughout the night. Only when the sun rose did he get up, head to the kitchens to fetch a small dish of either preserved fruit or dried crackers, in case she had to eat something before she partook in the morning meal. 

He himself had not slept for a week now.

He could not.

Inu-daiyoukai births were _not_ easy. His own lady mother was nearly bedridden when she had been pregnant with him and, being inu-daiyoukai herself, she had a body that could handle the pains of being pregnant with one. 

Kagura did not. And the stubborn witch resisted her struggling body every step of the way instead of resting like she should.

Her nausea had abated, but only barely. She was four months in and the other pains of constant dizziness and a weak appetite had shown no sign of letting up. In fact, it had worsened. 

The babe could move now, and she doubled over in pain _every_ time it kicked. 

He had never seen that happen to any other expectant mothers for all his centuries of being alive, demons and humans alike. Even human women harbouring hanyou whelps never had such pains; the combination of human blood in the fetus worked to muffle its strength. 

Kagura let out a soft whimper and he came to full alertness. He eyed her sleeping form, watching intently in case something happened and he could-

_He could_ ... _what?_ He could do nothing. 

Even if she died right now in his arms, he could do nothing. Koto was very precise in her wording. Kagura’s condition was too specific and unusual for her skills to cover. If something happened to her or to the babe, he could do nothing but watch them die. Nothing shook this Sesshoumaru, but this very thought was embedded deep into his being. It had kept him up for days. That his mate did not seem to be taking the strain on her body for the threats that they were did _not_ help. 

She sighed softly and shifted her body, and he saw that she was awake. Her hand slid to rub at her bump, a slight frown marred her features. Her eyes were opened just slightly and he found himself just infinitesimally distracted by the way her long lashes framed her rubious irises. 

"Hn? Not asleep yet?" She was none the wiser that his worries had kept him up for days. He gave a non-committal grunt.

“Our son woke you?” 

She huffed, softly, her voice languid and tired. “You keep saying son but we may just as well be having a daughter, you know?”

He scoffed, looking at her hair tousled from sleep and reached to clear loose strands away from her face. Of course he knew that the babe may well be a girl. He simply used “son” as a placeholder. 

“Firstborns in my father's bloodline have been male for the past ten generations.” He replied instead, knowing she would roll her eyes at that. He moved his arm to accommodate her as she shifted to lean on his chest. This position let her bump lean against his abdomen, and he marvelled at the youki emanating from it. This close, its textures were more pronounced. It felt to him an extension of her energies, a stronger and more intense pulsing of her own youki. However, Kagura insisted that it felt like a separate one from hers, so it must have felt different for her than it did for him in close proximity. 

The babe was strong. Stronger than it should be.

He could not possibly know, but he had a feeling it was feeding on her youki, using it to strengthen its own. This not only meant the pregnancy was actively injuring Kagura's body, it was preventing it from healing effectively as well.

If he was right, her body was getting damaged exponentially by bearing this babe. Would she even be able to carry it to the full ten months without enduring severe repercussions on her system? 

He pressed his nose into her hair and inhaled. He missed her old scent of the wind, and of ozone, and of brine, but he had come to be intimately familiar with this scorched scent, and found that it was just as heady. 

She was, as ever, intoxicating.

"Hmm, we'll see. I have a feeling it's a girl." She suddenly winced and her hand jumped to rub at her bump just as he felt a very slight, almost imperceptible movement from her bump against him. 

"You should get back to sleep."

She let out a soft sigh. "I don't think I can." Watching her face scrunch up in discomfort again was difficult. He placed a hand over her bump, right next to her where her hand was currently laying. If he focussed, he could feel very slight movements from the babe, so minute they could be described as mere vibrations. Yet it pained her so badly each time it happened. He mused for a moment more, then made a decision.

"At sunrise, we will make for my mother's castle." 

_If you are feeling well enough for it_ , he left unsaid, for he was not keen on agitating her on top of her physical pain.

"What? Why the fuck would you want to do that?" She growled. 

So much for not agitating her.

"Your symptoms worsen. She is the only being alive I trust to not take advantage of your current condition to have you killed." His mother was also probably the only being alive who possibly had a solution for them. She had many years to her name, and traded in information and knowledge as she held court. If anyone could help Kagura with her predicament, it was she.

There was just one problem.

His mother did not know they were mated.

With what was visibly great effort, Kagura pushed herself up on her elbows to glare at him, a growl rumbling deep in her chest. Any other time and he might have pointed out how dog-like she was becoming, but the situation did not call for levity.

"You have _never_ brought me to meet your mother. I've _asked_ and you said it was not necessary. You expect me to just show up out of the blue at her fucking doorsteps? What do you want me to say? 'Hey, great daiyoukai lady mother of the sky, we've never met but I'm mated to your son and I'm pregnant with your grandchild! Surprise!' Is that it?"

He said nothing and fixed his eyes at the foot of the futon. Kagura was right. It was a slip up on his part. 

But then he had not expected to need to see his mother until the next decade, and hence had not foreseen the necessity of going through the inconveniences of introducing his mate to her.

In hindsight, it _was_ unwise. He sneered. Another failure on his part. 

"You would rather we only visit her when our son is born?" _Or for her to hear of our union from the grapevine?_

Kagura groaned and eased herself back to lying down on his shoulder. 

"Ugh, fine then. But since we're preparing to travel, I want to go see Rin too."

"Hn." He grunted noncommittally. If her body permitted, he did not see why not, but he doubted the possibility. He had brought Rin to the keep the previous month to visit, for the girl had whined and complained that she missed being with the both of them together. He had long intended to arrange a space that his ward could reside in when she visited, and it had been an opportune time to get the arrangements of her own room done in a style that suited her tastes when she was here. 

The girl had spent most of her short visit here staying close to Kagura, fascinated with her bump and excited for the babe's arrival. But it had indeed been awhile.

As he pondered on that possible derailment to their travelling, her hair came to tease at his jaw and he got another strong whiff of that heady scent of burnt oak. He nuzzled at her hair and savoured her scent. Alarmed when, suddenly and inexplicably, he felt the stirrings of unbidden lust shoot through his body, his blood heating up with desire.

...fuck.

Rein it in, fucking imbecilic dog.

He steeled himself, fervently hoping that his mate had not noticed the sudden uptick in his heart rate and feeling deeply embarrassed at his loss of control. They had not been intimate since they learnt of her pregnancy, and he was determined to let it stay that way. He would not seek to sate his desire, nor would he let it be known to her. Knowing Kagura, she would delight in his struggles and, against everything that her body was throwing at her, would do the most to get him riled up and seduced.

His mate was insufferable that way.

He looked at her and saw that her eyes were closed, so he moved to drape the mokomoko around her once more, then rested his hand above her on her belly. She had not objected to his plans in the end.

When morning comes, they would prepare for their journey to the Sky Castle.

\-----

He had lost his mind if he thought she would abide by this.

A palanquin.

Pulled by Ah-Un. With two attendants inside with her, and four guards surrounding the palanquin, and four more guards in the posterior.

She would rather walk the entire way.

"See reason, Kagura." He growled, pulling on his armour over his shoulders and checking its reinforcing straps. He reached to attach his swords.

"No, _you_ see reason. I'm not getting in that fucking box."

He rolled his eyes. "It is a palanquin. It is secure."

"I don't need it. I have my feathers."

"Feathers that leave you exposed to attacks."

"Which you will sense from a mile away and it won't even reach me!"

"...No."

"I am not going to-" 

The child kicked. 

She gasped and doubled over, hand fisted in her kosode. Ride it out, just ride it out, the pain would pass, just-

It kicked again. She let out a whimper and knelt to the ground. Sesshoumaru had dropped his swords and rushed to her side and she took strength from his warmth. She could do this, she could fucking bear this, she just had to ride it out. The child would calm. Eventually.

Already the pain was subsiding, but she found her vision had blurred, her cheeks wet. Her heart was thundering in her chest and her breath still came in short shallow puffs.

Her hand came to rub at her bump. _Behave!_

"I'm ok," she whispered to her husband, "I'm fine now." Sesshoumaru's grip was firm on her arm, careful to miss her with his claws. She raised her head to see his lips pursed into a tight line, his brows tense. Ah, there he goes again panicking every time there's a bit of pain. She did not survive Naraku's hold without having an incredible threshold for pain and the sooner he understood that, the- 

He pulled her into an embrace.

Hn? His warmth was unwelcome, and she laid her hands on his back as he pulled her in tighter. Hmph, she may be enjoying it but if he thought being sweet would change her mind, he was-

"Please." 

His voice was quiet. Pleading.

Oh.

"Please, Kagura."

"I-"

"Please." 

Well, since he's asking so nicely.

She returned the embrace with her arms rubbing at his shoulders, nuzzling at his silky hair which tickled her neck.

She sighed. "Yes, fine. I'll stay in the box until we've reached. But you're coming in there with me." 

He pulled away. The relief in his features was almost adorable, yet heartbreaking. She'd never meant to push him this hard. Losing a fight with him sucked but she guessed she would have to find some way to apologise for this soon.

A hand caressed at her cheek to wipe off the tears that remained. Anyone else would've missed the softness in his gaze and mistook it for aloofness, but not she. She knew her husband.

She pulled at his hands. "Come, if they're done with preparing the palanquin, we'll set off then. You can tell me more about your mother on the way.

\-----

They had arrived at the foot of his mother's castle with minimal problems. His mate's condition had neither worsened nor abated during their eight days of travel, which he was unable to decide if he should begrudge or be thankful for.

He frowned as he looked up at the mountain that the Sky Castle was built into. It was deep into the middle of winter, and the lands were covered thickly in a layer of blinding stark snow. Too bright for his tastes. 

His own keep was maintained with evergreen trees that buffered the glare of winter, but his mother had no such inclinations.

He turned to look for Kagura, who was slowly climbing out of the palanquin, snarling and waving away the attendants who had reached out to steady her.

Stubborn witch. He would be less worried if she could just accept help when she needed.

He walked back to her side and she took hold of his arm, her face had taken on a sickly pallor and she had a sheen of sweat glistening on her brows. That last stretch of flying that they had to do was tough on her, but he knew she would not allow herself to show any more signs of weakness in front of the servants if she could prevent it.

Fortunately, the last part of the journey to his mother's audience chamber was a short flight up the mountain. He could fly her there himself. They had a small argument in the palanquin earlier about Kagura using her own feathers to make this last flight up, but he had pointed out that not only was visibility low, she was unfamiliar with the place, and thankfully, she had not wanted to argue further. 

“Hmph, you daiyoukai sure know how to live fancy.” She sniffed as they walked through the main gates - towering stone pillars that could accommodate shifting into beast forms. Snow came up to their ankles, and he was satisfied that she had not argued when he insisted she put on the boots that she had on her feet right now. 

“Are you ready?” He had an arm around her waist. She adjusted her grip on his shoulders and gave a nod. With that, he took off, his mate in his arms. 

His mate, who was much less mouthy than she usually was. 

Seemed she was nervous too. 

\-----

His mother was seated at the end of the long audience chamber, reclining on a plush couch that served as her throne as she held court. She had not changed since the last time they had met. He had inherited her long silver hair, and the crescent moon marking on her forehead was as stark as his own. Her makeup was immaculate, and her kimono of a luxurious silk with golden filigree fully incorporated with the embroidery. The very image of perfection and grace. 

Like a honed blade sheathed, the power leashed and gilded. 

Massive pillars fringed both sides of the hall, supporting a towering ceiling that was covered with intricate carvings. He never bothered with the ostentatiousness in his own keep that daiyoukai favoured in their abodes, finding the typical high ceilings too much of a security threat for a frivolous thing like shifting. If he had to shift, he had the training halls and grounds for that. 

But his mother never cared for subtlety. 

He eyed the heavy hanging scrolls that loomed by the sides of the central steps as he climbed the last of the remaining steps, Kagura following right behind him. The inu-daiyoukai ahead of him leaned forwards as they neared, her chin coming to rest on one hand as she rested an elbow on her armrest. He stopped at the steps before her throne and heard Kagura stopping behind him.

“Mother.”

She smiled, eyes sly. 

“So cold as always, Sesshoumaru. Surely you could greet your mother with more warmth than that.” Hn. Said the woman who insisted on meeting her son in a hall that could accommodate over twenty daiyoukai in their beast forms without it becoming cramped.

Her eyes flicked over to Kagura, curious. She inhaled, and cocked her head, a hand coming to twirl at a strand of hand that had fallen over her shoulder. 

“Surely you remember the political complications Touga had to deal with after he had his bastard. Yet you chose to follow in his footsteps?” Her voice was curious, and while he felt Kagura bristle behind him, he knew his mother meant no maliciousness. “I judged you more pragmatic than that, perhaps I was wrong.”

“Mother,” he took a deep breath, “this is my...mate, Kagura.”

She froze, and snapped her eyes to meet his. Her eyes narrowed. Behind him, Kagura scoffed. 

“You are mated. When?”

“Since fall.”

His mother was hardly an expressive woman, but she had her lips curling into the beginnings of a sneer.

“You did not invite your own _mother_ to your mating ceremony." She snarled, scleras seeping red at the edges. "And didn't think to even send a messenger afterwards?"

He clenched his jaw. "The babe was... unexpected. It demanded discretion and efficiency." It embarrassed him to admit it but that seemed to quell her somewhat. Her eyes faded back to normalcy and she leant back on her seat with her features smoothed over.

"Surely sending a retainer over to my castle was not so cumbersome a matter." Yes, and she would have demanded an audience immediately or, in her usual fashion, have arrived unannounced at his keep with a retinue of a hundred attendants or more.

And this Sesshoumaru did not care for such trifles. Especially when his mate had been debilitated the entire time.

His mother stared at him a moment more with her chin resting on a hand, then shifted her attention lazily to Kagura. She seized her up slowly from head to toe, and he stretched out a hand behind him, fervently hoping that his mate had the sense to stand down.

The inu-daiyoukai stood, abruptly.

Her eyes widened, shock written all over her features. And slowly, she smiled. 

All teeth and wide eyes.

_What?_

"How are you standing?" A curious tone, dripping with deceptive cheeriness. She had started down the steps, teeth bared, eyes intense. 

Fuck. If he had misjudged this-

Kagura whipped her fan out in front of her. Snarled. He stepped between them, claws bared. Mother or not, if she laid a single hand on his mate, he would-

To his surprise, his mother stopped where she stood, and laughed with a demure hand coming to her lips.

"Shame on you, son. I will not harm any of yours. You should know your lady mother better than this." She cocked her head and seemed to listen intently, inhaling deeply once more. She spun around gracefully and headed back to her throne, she sat with an arm thrown careless at the armrest.

He did not answer. His senses on high alert and allowing his poisons to drip down his claws.

"Now there's no reason for you to go messing up my carpet. Stop that." She waved her hand dismissively but he made no move to relax. "I was almost exhausted to death when I had you, my only whelp, you know. I was just surprised she was still standing when I could barely move expecting just one."

Hn. His mate was something else. That much was for certain. Still, he kept his arms poised, ready to react.

"And you're not inu-daiyoukai, are you, child?" She addressed Kagura directly, eyes crinkling in amusement.

His mate scoffed. "I'm not. But maybe you're just weak, have you considered that?"

His mother's smile widened. He would have turned to shoot a warning glance at Kagura, but he dared not turn his back to his mother.

Wait. Did she say 'just one'?

What-

"I'm impressed, son. Maybe the rumours that you have surpassed Touga carried more merit than I had thought." She smirked. "A pregnant bride so soon, and with twins to boot. Excellent."

The air knocked out of his lungs.

Twins.

Kagura had...twins?

Two?

Did she say twins?

He turned to look at his mate and her eyes flicked sharply to meet his. Her lips parted, her brows furrowed, shock written all over her face. 

They had _twins_?

His mother must have seen the surprise in their eyes. She laughed, a tinkling, sly sound.

"Oh son, for all your years, I forget you are yet a child. You didn't sense it? That's what you get when you refuse to mingle with polite society and insist on being a recluse, I suppose." She eased herself to lean on her throne, a smile still plastered on her face. "Her hormonal scent is much stronger than a typical pregnant demon’s, and the youki coming from her womb is layered instead of distinct. All indications that the babe she is harbouring is not one, but two."

He swallowed, schooling his features so they betrayed nothing to all observers. He had not known to sense that. 

"Ah, but Touga's blood runs true. There had not been twinborns in inu-daiyoukai families in millennia." She turned her attention to Kagura, whose hand had come to cradle her belly, fan lowered. "It has been difficult, carrying these babes, has it not? A shame you would die before they could be born. I would have grown to enjoy your company, I believe."

His head snapped up, frowning. 

Kagura scoffed. "I don't know what's your fucking problem but I don't intend on dying any time soon."

"You will. I offer not an opinion, but a fact, and your intention matters not. Only daiyoukai can carry daiyoukai babes to full term. Your youki is strong, and may have survived with just one. But twins? No. I'm sorry, child. Your body will waste away from the drain on your youki, and your babes will die when you do."  
  


And with that one instance, his worst fears had been realised. 

"Mother. We came to ask for a solution." 

"There is none."

His claws clenched, piercing his palm and drawing blood. She would die again. He would lose her again. 

He would fail her.

Again.

"Mother. I cannot- I-" He could not lose her. Not again. 

Kagura laid a hand on his shoulder, her grip firm. When had she stepped up beside him again? He kept his gaze on his mother, not trusting himself to look at his mate. Would she be disappointed in him? Would she blame him? 

He would not begrudge her if she did. 

His mother’s eyes softened. She left her throne and walked down the steps until she was but a foot away from him. Her fingers raised, as if to caress him, to comfort her foolish child who had failed, but must have thought better of it and let it drop back to her side. She turned to look at Kagura, and what she saw on his mate’s face must have amused her, for she let herself smile.

“There exist humans with purification powers. Some are powerful enough to neutralise even the likes of us. They are incredibly rare, though. If you could strike a deal with one - if you could even find one in the first place - without letting your own youki become purified, it might just work.” She addressed her directly, her gaze distant. “If there was a way to siphon off some of the babes’ youki as they grow, you might just survive.”

A lifeline. He grabbed hold of it. 

“And, should you decide to attempt this foolishness, the babes, of course, will be hanyou.”

He turned to look at his mate, her hand still firm on his shoulder. She met his eyes and they shared a knowing glance. 

Hanyou they would be. So be it. 

“Thank you, mother.” He nodded at her.

The inu-daiyoukai cocked her head. She had not expected that response, then.

“You are Touga’s sole full-blooded heir. You would let the Inu no Taishou bloodline end in half-bloods? Curious, though, perhaps that may just be what he had wished of you.” She waved her hand dismissively, making to leave the audience chamber. He stepped away to let her pass, gently pulling Kagura along with him as he moved. They watched her as she glided across the carpets, only to stop at the massive doors that led to the entrance. She turned.

“Kagura, is it?”

His mate stiffened next to him. 

“If you survive this fool’s quest, do bring my grandchildren to visit some time.” She smiled, eyes crinkling. “My son is terribly unfilial and only visits when he requires some form of assistance from me. Do better, won’t you?”

  
  


Without waiting for a response, she left.

Tch.

Sesshoumaru exhaled deeply. Meeting with his mother at her unbearably ostentatious castle was always difficult, but this particular encounter had exceeded all expectations. At least they had got what they travelled here for.

Hope. He turned to look at Kagura. She, too, lost some of the tension in her shoulders as his mother left the hall.

“You didn’t think to warn me that your mother’s a massively terrifying bitch, huh?”

“I thought it was implied.”

She huffed, and he pulled her into an embrace.

She was warm as her hands reached to return it. He could feel the babes’ youki strongly, and now knew the textured feeling of it indicated they were expecting not a child, but two. He marvelled at her strength. His mother was right. How _was_ she still standing?

“Good thing we meant to visit Rin anyway.”

He nodded. They _had_ to make the trip, whether or not Kagura was feeling up to it.

A human with unusually strong purification powers? Good thing that they knew just the one.

The priestess. The wielder of the strongest spiritual powers the world had ever known in centuries. Her almost legendary appearance in this era had heralded misfortune and great change, her feats widely told of now even half a world away. Rin’s human guardian.

His half-brother’s bride.

Fuck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, I recently joked with my mum about wanting to elope instead of doing a wedding and her reaction was just like that. Sesshoumaru is not immune to scary mums just like the rest of us Asians. 
> 
> This chapter took awhile to work out because I felt like it was all necessary. I'm not too sure what I feel about it at the moment but here you go!
> 
> Thank you everyone who left me comments in the previous chapter once again! It's really so wild that yall actually like this very self-indulgent fic that I wrote for myself. I genuinely didn't imagine anyone else would be interested in this. So thank you all very much!
> 
> Please let me know what you think of this chapter as well! 🖤


	5. Priestess

Kagura had one arm leaning on the tree next to her for support as she bent over at the waist, retching. He rubbed circles into her upper back, as his other hand held onto a washcloth that he had wetted for her. They were close to the human village now, just around a hundred yards or so before his half-brother would inevitably scent them and come investigate. 

Gentle sunrays peeked over the horizon and filtered through the foliage. They had travelled hard, pushing through an entire day and night of flying in order to arrive at the human village as quickly as possible. 

He was alone with his mate, having sent their retainers back to his keep first, and pushed Jaken ahead with Ah-Un bearing several bags of rice, bolts of silk, and jars of sake.

An offering.

It was a big favour that he was hoping Inuyasha and the priestess would extend to them, and while he chafed at being in that half-breed’s debt, he would do anything for his mate and children. 

_No._

His jaw ticked. No longer will he refer to his half-brother as a half-breed. He would never forgive himself if he made that slip of tongue when the babes were born, and he could only fervently hope that his half-brother would not hold his past transgressions over his head for the life of his unborn children. 

They would be hanyou. 

That was fine. 

As long as they lived.

As long as _she_ lived.

Kagura had straightened up, and he handed her the washcloth. Her hand had come to rub at her bump. He frowned, had the babes kicked again?

His mate met his eye, and caught his concern.

“They’re well behaved today, don’t worry. Just having a bit of a headache.”

“Hn.” He left a hand cradling her at the waist, observing discreetly for any signs of her further discomfort. It must have hurt her some if she had deigned to voice it. He reached around to retrieve the bottle of preserved plums in his pack, uncorking and plucking one out with his fingers to offer it to her which she took eagerly with her lips. She then grabbed his arm and urged him to hasten as he led the way to continue on to the village. 

It was not long before he scented Rin in the winds. The girl was up early today.

Ah, there she was. His ward had spotted them from afar, and was waving her arms animatedly as she ran towards him and his mate. She had on a pink kosode that he had gifted her a few months before, and her hair flew behind her as she ran. She had grown much faster in recent weeks, coming to be around the height of his chest now; all indications that she would become a tall youth as she entered her teenage years. He frowned. Why had his half-brother allowed her to come so far away from the village unaccompanied? She was a child yet, and demons and beasts lurked in the neighbouring forests.

He sneered. That useless half-wit. He would have words with him later. He had entrusted the care of his _daughter_ to him and his mate and they could not even-

“Lord Sesshoumaru! Lady Kagura!” Rin called out, her voice radiant, and his irritation melted. He stepped aside from Kagura as she neared, just as the girl crashed into him with her arms wrapping around his waist. He rested a hand on her tousled hair and her face turned up to greet him with a brilliant smile.

Her arms came gingerly around Kagura’s belly next as she attempted to pull her into a hug as well, and he was satisfied to see her exercising restraint.

“Hello, sunflower.” Kagura’s voice betrayed her exhaustion, but she smirked nevertheless. “How did you know we were here?”

“Inuyasha told Rin! And Jaken came! He’s being petty and throwing a tantrum and refusing to come inside the hut though. Are you feeling better now? Is the baby coming soon? Is that why you came today with Lord Sesshoumaru?” She pulled at both of their hands as she turned to head back to the village, her arms stretched out behind her as she tried to persuade them to go faster. “Lord Sesshoumaru, I patched a tear in my kosode the other day! Lady Kaede showed me how, but Rin did it all by myself! Sango also let me carry Kin’u and Gyokuto yesterday! And Rin helped pat them to sleep! Ah! I can’t wait for Lady Kagura’s baby to come and-” 

Such chattiness. He idly wondered where she got that from. Certainly not from him _._ But better her chatty than mute, as she had been when they first met years ago.

He allowed himself to enjoy her cheerfulness, if only for a moment. He turned to look at Kagura and saw that she was listening with a faint smile on her face despite her discomfort. They had taken to each other quickly - Rin had wormed herself into his mate’s heart just as the girl did his.

And he supposed they were kindred spirits in a way as well. 

“- Can Rin say hello to the baby? Is it awake? There’s a lady in the village who also has a baby in her now! She let me touch and I felt it move! Lady Kagura, Rin didn’t tell anyone that you are having a baby, just like you asked. Are we telling them now? Is that why you’re here with Lord Sesshoumaru?”

“Rin. Later.”

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru!"

He bent lower, and scooped the girl into the crook of an elbow, then stood up and pulled his mate closer, savouring the gasp of delight from his ward as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

They would fly the rest of the way. 

\-----

The priestess was waiting to welcome them at her courtyard as she always did if he had sent Jaken ahead. He did not see his half-brother but his stench lingered in the air, unmistakable. He set Rin down, and she raced ahead. Kagura still held on to his arm, and he led the way carefully. Her skin was pallid, and her grip weak. He had half the mind to carry her the rest of the way, but knew that she would growl at him for even suggesting that.

"Elder brother! Ah, Kagura! You're here too!" She called from the distance, waving her arms at them.

Tch.

Next to him, his mate chuckled. His eyes slid over to stare at her.

“What? I think she’s sweet.”

He rolled his eyes. 

“Rin! There you are. Why had you wandered off by yourself?” The priestess chided, although her eyes were smiling as she neared. “Hello, elder brother, Kagu- Kagura! You’re- Are you pregnant?”

His eyes narrowed, annoyed, then hastily schooled his features. Did she mean to announce it to the entire village?

“No, I’m just bloated.” Kagura replied drily, though he knew she maintained a more affable relationship with the humans than he was comfortable with and was in fact, glad to meet the priestess after several months. The fact that they had repeatedly tried to kill each other just a few years ago was, apparently, inconsequential. 

The priestess’ smile was a child-like thing. She clasped her hands on his mate’s and _squealed._

_...what in ten hells._

He could excuse Rin’s lack of restraint as she was a child. What excuse did _she_ have?

His jaw clenched. They were here to ask a favour. He would bear this.

“Oh! I’m going to be an aunt! How exciting! I can’t believe it! Oh, congratulations elder brother!”

_How did Inuyasha live with this woman?_

Kagura glanced at him, amused, and chuckled. “Can we come in? Before Sesshoumaru here loses his mind-”

She doubled over and let out a gasp, hands clenched in her padded hanten that he had insisted she put on. The babes must have kicked. He had his arms around her in a moment. His mate's brows were furrowed in pain, cold sweat leaving a sheen on her brows. He fixed a glare at the priestess, and she hastily rushed to the sliding doors to let them in.

He lifted his mate off her feet. The pain must have been acute, for she did not make any objections as she was wont to do. His worry deepened.

_Bear it, Kagura. Please._

The sitting room in the hut was bare but for a hibachi in the middle, but the priestess was efficient in producing a thick blanket which he then laid Kagura down to rest on, coming to kneel next to her. Rin followed closely behind as she shuttered the doors, eyes wide with concern as she knelt down closely by him. Kagura’s eyes were shut tightly as she knelt on the blanket. She had bent over, an arm cradling her bump while her other hand clenched in his mokomoko. 

He absently realised Jaken was making a fuss in the priestess’ backyard. No matter. That imp can deal with whatever it was. 

Kagura slowly straightened, her heart still pounding wildly in his ears. Her breaths were deep as she tried to steady herself. He rubbed gently as he supported her back with his arm, meeting her eyes as she gave a small nod to indicate that the pain had passed.

“Lady Kagura, are you ok? Rin was worried.” The girl was looking up at her with her brows upturned.

“I’m fine. The babies were just being a handful.” She rubbed a hand on her bump, eyes closed.

He saw the priestess’ eyes widen as she took in the implications of what Kagura just said. They had to let her know sooner or later anyway. She had just put a pot of tea to warm on the hibachi and had settled herself across them. 

“Kagura, are you-”

The doors to the backyard slid open, and his half-brother’s scent grew unbearable. He looked up just as Inuyasha walked into the sitting room, wearing his usual red haori, hair unkempt and feet bared. 

Just like the country bumpkin he was.

“What the fuck!” 

He scoffed. Fuck you too.

“Inuyasha! Elder brother had just arrived, don’t be rude!”

Tch. His eyes narrowed. 

“Like this asshole gives a fuck. What the fuck are you doing in my house? And what’s with the piles of food that your frog left in my backyard?” Ever the charming bastard. A quiet giggle burst out of Rin, which she stifled with her hands as he turned to shoot her a stern glare. 

The half-demon sniffed, eyes widening as they landed on Kagura. “Wha- Kagura? That smell was _you_? You went and got yourself knocked up? What the fuck happened to you?”

Sesshoumaru snarled. If he spoke like this to his mate again, he would rip his head off so swiftly-

Kagura chuckled.

“Yo, Inuyasha.” She smirked, leaning back on one arm while another rested at her belly. Her skin was still pallid, her breath short and shallow, and he knew her head was hurting her something awful, but he supposed appearing sarcastic and glib was more important to her than her physical discomfort. Stubborn witch.

“What a way you’ve chosen to introduce yourself to my children.” She looked pointedly at her bump, her hand rubbing gently. “Babies, this is your uncle. He’s ugly, he’s stupid, and he smells like shit. Might as well get used to it before you come out so you’ll be less shocked when you finally meet him.”

And as annoyed as Sesshoumaru was with the suggestion that his children would spend any bit of time at all with this imbecile, he could not argue with that logic. 

Inuyasha stared at him, then at Kagura, then at him again. Took awhile for the idiot’s brain to put two and two together. 

"Heh, taking after the old man and having bastards of your own?"

He snarled, but made no move to touch his swords. Insufferable fools. He avoided coming into contact with his half-brother and the priestess for this very reason; it was unfortunate that he had to come to beg them for a favour. 

“Inuyasha! Stop that. Can’t you tell that Kagura is having a difficult time?” Surprisingly, that shut him up. The half-demon sat down with a huff with his legs folded, glaring at him the entire time. _Remember the time I dug your eye out, brother? Keep glaring and I can do that again._

“Elder brother, Kagura, is everything alright?” She asked, while pouring out the warmed tea from the hibachi into small cups. “The way you were hurting so badly just now, Kagura… That-”

"I'm fine."

With a deep breath, he reminded himself of the reason they had come in the first place. The faster they had it resolved, the better off it was for everyone. He turned to the priestess, eyes solemn.

“Priestess, my mate and I would ask you a favour.”

\-----

Sesshoumaru was mated to Kagura.

Sesshoumaru was _mated._

And Kagura was _pregnant._ With twins.

Twins! What the fuck!

That makes Sesshoumaru a father.

Sesshoumaru. 

A father. 

This asshole was a _father_. 

Well, there was Rin, but that was different. Rin had adopted Sesshoumaru as much as Sesshoumaru adopted her. But...

...did-did that make him an uncle?

He had nephews? Or nieces? Whose father is Sesshoumaru, and whose mother is a literal spawn of Naraku?

Are they Naraku’s grandchildren then?

What. the. fuck.

Inuyasha shuddered. That was too much to process in such a short period of time. They had sent Rin off with Kaede when the conversation turned serious; the old woman had taken one look at Kagura's swollen belly and left without a backward glance with the girl in tow. Kagome was listening intently as the demon lord and his mate explained their predicament. Something something babies’ youki something. 

Well, Kagura was explaining. Sesshoumaru was glaring at him. Had been glaring at him since he walked in.

He glared back. Who the fuck does he think he is? This is _his_ house. That was _his_ wife he was asking a favour from.

The talking had stopped. Kagome was looking intently at Kagura's abdomen.

"May I?" She reached out her hand towards Kagura at her body at the wind sorceress' nod, hovering lightly over the bump. "Oh, yes, I feel them. They're very strong. I thought it was your youki at first because of how much they're overpowering yours."

"They feel a lot like elder brother's youki, actually." She continued, her eyes lightly glazed over as she focussed on her sensing. "It feels heavy, dense. And their colouration is similar to his as well. Magenta, almost red, just without the glowing edges."

Colour? He never knew youki had colour.

“Colour?” Kagura raised a brow. Nice, he won't have to look like an idiot who didn’t know about his wife’s powers then.

“Mm? Oh, yes. Yours is quite similar to Sesshoumaru's - purple, and some red? That's why I couldn't tell the children's youki from yours at first.”

Huh. Wonder what colour his youki was.

"So could you do it?" Sesshoumaru turned to Kagome. She still had her attention fixed to Kagura's abdomen. She turned at hearing his voice.

"I-"

"The gifts in your backyard are not the only ones we will offer in exchange for this favour. It was simply what we could prepare within short notice. My servants will arrive in the next few days bearing more."

"Elder brother, I-"

Sesshoumaru's hand went to his swords. Inuyasha growled, jumping into a prowl with claws bared. How dare he raise a weapon in his house-

He unbuckled one and handed it, hilt first, to a bewildered Kagome.

_What?_

"This is Bakusaiga." He placed the sword carefully on the floor. "She is a sword forged from my own body and you have seen for yourself her prowess. I will throw this into the exchange."

What game is this asshole playing at?

The great demon Lord of the West was going to give up his prized sword...for his wife?

"Elder brother, I- We will _not_ take anything in return. You are family, after all." Kagome had her hands raised placatingly. "It's just, I'm not sure how I would do it without hurting Kagura in the process."

"Tch. Speak for yourself, Kagome. Any chance to defang Sesshoumaru is a chance to be grabbed tightly with both hands, if you ask me." He growled, earning himself a glare from Kagome. 

Kagura flicked him a sneer, and Sesshoumaru ignored him.

"What can you do?"

"I'm not sure, Kagura. I may have a priestess' powers, but I am new to this craft. I...would have to try it first on something else, somehow." She was uncertain, glancing between Kagura and Sesshoumaru, frowning. She was studying Sesshoumaru's face, for some reason.

"Elder brother, could I...try if I could extract your youki?" She reached out, hesitantly. "It's just, I'd be less likely to hurt you if something goes wrong, right?"

Wait one fucking second. He had to step in. He can’t possibly let Kagome just put herself in potential danger. Who knew what extracting his youki would do?

“Kagome, you don’t know what could happen. You’ve never done anything like this before.”

She turned to look at him sharply. “We have to try, Inuyasha. Elder brother and Kagura came all the way here to ask for our help. They would do the same to help us too! You know you will regret it if something happened to Kagura and I could’ve help prevent it, so stop being thick-headed about it.” 

...this insufferable woman.

She was right. As usual.

Hmph, fine!

He huffed, turning to fix his head at a point in the wall. 

“So try, then.” Sesshoumaru’s voice was cold. Arrogant asshole. Wasn’t he here to beg for their help? Inuyasha rolled his eyes. 

Kagome had turned her attention back at Sesshoumaru. “Elder brother, if you could give me your hand for a moment?” He reached out with a clawed hand, palm facing up, and she placed a hand over his, her eyes glazed over as she focussed. The room was silent as they all kept their eyes on her.

Her eyes narrowed in concentration and he was shocked that he could actually sense something - a _power_ \- coming off of Sesshoumaru and into Kagome’s hands. It was not Sesshoumaru’s youki - that distinctly felt different from this. So this must be from something she was doing. Whatever it was, it was new. He had never sensed this before. 

She was frowning, moving her hand backwards slowly, still hovering close. Inuyasha clenched his jaw - her skin was uncomfortably close to Sesshoumaru’s venomous claws. If he-

She pulled her hand back all the way. He flinched, feeling his ears pop. 

What?

Sesshoumaru hissed and flashed a snarl, though he quickly smoothed his features. 

“What did you do?” He growled, his eyes tense. Kagura had a hand on her husband’s shoulder, eyes wide and intently studying his profile. 

Inuyasha blinked. His youki was...gone? No. 

He was a full demon. His youki would only dissipate if he died.

But where was it?

There was a huge looming emptiness in where Sesshoumaru’s immense daiyoukai youki used to be just a second ago. It had disappeared. He could not sense it. His eyes narrowed, moving himself so that he was in front of Kagome. If this bastard wanted to retaliate for something he himself had requested, he would give him a fight. .

But what had Kagome done?

“I- I covered it up. I think.” Kagome was looking at her own hand, frowning. She looked up. “I covered it up with a...bubble of spiritual energy. No.” She shook her head. “No, I enclosed it. I grabbed hold of it, and it resisted. I tried using my own strength to urge it out and it-”

She cocked a head at Sesshoumaru, her eyes distant, as if seeing through him. 

“Ah, your youki is too large to be passed through from your body because it is an extension of your body itself. Here, I’ll release it.”

She flicked her fingers. 

The daiyoukai youki flooded back in so quickly, Inuyasha felt himself disorientated for a moment. That same oppressive air whenever Sesshoumaru was near had returned. The heavy and immense energy once again hung over their heads.

The change was minute, but Inuyasha felt a strong _satisfaction_ as he saw Sesshoumaru’s shoulders sag just very slightly from the return of his energies. That must have shocked him some. What Kagome just did must have been pretty similar to how Kikyou sealed him to the tree with an arrow many years ago. Except... _My wife could seal you with nothing but her bare hands._

Not so powerful now huh? 

He was acutely aware of how tension hung thickly in the room. If Kagome could seal up the demon lord at first try without even knowing what she was doing, what more could she do if her powers were honed? She could seal him again, leaving Kagura vulnerable. Hell, she could seal them both. And Sesshoumaru knew this. His gaze was inscrutable as he eyed Kagome.

He kept his senses alert, ready to strike.

Kagome never gave a shit about things like that though.

She clapped her hands together, smiling. And the tension bled away as if it never existed.

“Ah! I think that went well! If I could pick out the babies’ unique youki from each other and from Kagura, we could just enclose their youki in the womb until they were born!” 

Sesshoumaru turned to meet his wife's eyes, and she returned it with a slight nod, a common understanding seemed to be reached between them silently. 

He turned to Kagome again.

“The babes would hurt.” Hah, he knew what Kagome did had hurt him!

“I-I could try again to refine the technique, if you and Kagura would like to stay for a few more days. Or would you rather we didn’t-”

“No. There is no other option.” He nodded and stood up. “We humbly accept your hospitality.”

What the fuck? 

Where the fuck does he think he’ll be staying?

“Of course, elder brother, Kagu- Oh! I suppose I should be calling you elder sister now!” Kagome’s smile was bright, a hand on Kagura’s as Sesshoumaru helped her to her feet. “Please, there is a furnished hut just across ours that is vacant. It's not much but we would love for you to stay there for the time being!”

Of course.

Insufferable woman.

Fuck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inuyoukai brothers are both petty and stupid as shit. Sesshoumaru just doesn’t open his mouth that much so we can’t tell. Hope I managed to portray their himbocy a little more in his and Inuyasha’s POV chapters! I honestly just wanted something fluffy and cute and pointless when I first started writing this but look what happened? Now it’s got plot and multiple characters’ viewpoints and stuff. Now I’ve got to actually use my brain and ajkhakjsdjkasd. 
> 
> Please let me know what you think of this chapter as well! Dialogues are so difficult to write and I really wrestled with this for a bit. Would really appreciate your feedback on this!


	6. Massage

True enough, the hut was bare, but it was sufficient. It was fringed by an engawa, with just a single room which housed an irori in its centre. There was an attached bath with the back doors sealed shut, and Kagome had brought over some futons and several thick blankets for their use. The priestess  _ was  _ sweet, if only a little annoying with how accommodating she was being. 

In any case, she was loads better than her half-demon husband. Whatever had she seen in Inuyasha anyway? He was the uglier of the inu-youkai brothers, talked and acted like he’s a kid, no sense of style, boring, and less powerful too. 

Sesshoumaru was undoubtedly the better brother.

Mmm... And the better brother was  _ hers _ . Too bad for Kagome, but she wasn't sharing. Who else could give such good back rubs as this?

Sesshoumaru sat with his back facing the wall, his legs crossed and touching her back as he kept his hands on her shoulder in a steady rhythm. Her eyes were closed, her lips parted, enjoying how the tension in her muscles drained away with each press of his hands. She already felt better after spending a bit of time in the bath, but he was pampering her today. He was careful with his claws, and worked out the stiff parts in her back patiently. Already her pounding headache was subsiding. A thumb trailed upwards, leaving firm kneads on her neck. 

She let out a moan. 

Gods, this man was good with his hands in so  _ many _ ways _. _

"Keep going. I'm fine." She muttered - eyes hooded in pleasure - when he stopped at hearing her voice, a moment more, and the kneading continued.

His hands slowly moved lower, coming to her lower back near her hip where it had been persistently aching for the past months. Her babies were doing their best to fuck with her and the past week of travel had not helped, what with being cramped up in the palanquin most of the time. He was gentler here, the pads of his thumbs working synchronously in slow and deep circles. She groaned. Yes, right there, right there, yes-

He stopped. Hey, what the hell?

"Inuyasha can hear the sounds you are making."

Oh.

She chuckled. And what? Even if they  _ were _ being intimate, was he shy?

"Let him hear. I don't care."

He growled. "Kagura."

Ugh. "Fine, I'll keep it down. Just continue, please?"

A low sigh, and the kneading continued. She leaned into it, feeling boneless and relaxed. 

"How did you learn to do this so well?" She asked, eyes closed, a hand coming to rest on her belly, reveling in the layered youki of her babies inside her. Could they be enjoying the massage too? It's been awhile since they were so calm. "Was there some kind of secret massage training in inu-youkai traditions that you haven't told me about?"

He grunted. "Learning where to press so it feels good is not difficult when you make it known so vocally each time."

Ah, that much was true. But who would blame her? This was heavenly. A few moments passed with her enjoying the massage and his companionable silence, then he stopped and moved in front of her. Hn? He lifted her with his arms below her knees and back, shifting her until she was scooted over to lean on the wall. Oh. 

He started kneading on her legs, starting from her thighs and slowly moving to the calves. Kagura sighed, missing his warmth on her back but leaned back contentedly. He had let her put his hair up in a tie earlier when they soaked in the bath, and he still had it up now in a low tail. It hung over his shoulder, its ends still damp. Cute. He should wear it like that more often. His fingers worked a particularly stiff spot in her calves and she let out a soft keening sound. 

Yes, her husband was the better brother  _ by far _ .

“If I wasn’t, you know, already pregnant, I’d be jumping you and wanting your babies right about now.” She smirked, teasing. He scoffed, raising a brow and meeting her eye. 

“We can try for more after our sons are born.”

She laughed, throwing her head back. His voice was deadpanned but she saw a side of his lip had quirked up in amusement.

Getting pregnant again? Kagura wasn’t sure what she felt about that yet. She’d have to see what it was like having the twins first. Her smile faded. Whether she could carry her babies to term or not was still an uncertainty.

Her heart clenched. If she lost them...

“Do you think Kagome’s plan will work?” Her voice was quiet.

He grunted. “It must.”

“What was it like, what she did with your youki? I felt it disappear.” 

It was just...gone, and she'd been  _ terrified. _

He stopped what he was doing with her legs and looked her in the eyes. 

“Dangerous.” 

Well, no shit. She waited for him to explain but he didn’t, proceeding to get back to kneading at her ankles, a slight frown on his brows.

“Did it hurt? What did it feel like?” She pressed.

“It- Even speaking was a challenge. The priestess had sealed me up completely. My strength was still with me, but inaccessible. There was pain.” And for him to admit to that, it must have been easily ten times worse than what he was describing. 

Kagura felt heat coming behind her eyes. This was the only option they had. If the process had been difficult for him, they could not possibly do it for their unborn children. And if sealing their powers was the only thing they could do, how would the babies survive, being trapped for months? She would  _ never  _ subject them to that, she'd rather she died. 

But if she died, so will her babies. Her vision blurred with the onset of her tears. Fuck, being pregnant had made her so weak it was frustrating.

He moved closer to her, bringing a hand to cradle her cheek and leaned his forehead on hers. She felt him inhale and she savoured his warmth. Tears spilled over, and he wiped them away gently. 

“Mate, this one will not allow the priestess to work her powers on our sons until she has refined the technique to my satisfaction.” He pressed his nose to nuzzle at her temples. “We will not walk away without finding a solution.”

She nodded. They would not.

She dragged her wrist across her eyes, sniffing, glad that they were alone. She was crying too fucking much ever since she got pregnant. It wouldn’t do for others to see her in this state. Speaking of which, where was Jaken? Wasn’t he here?

“Where did your frog go?” He had stopped correcting her after the first five times she kept calling the imp that. 

“I left him to look over Rin.” He replied, shifting so that he was behind her and positioning her between his legs so she could lean on his chest. His arms came to hold her in an embrace. She winced. The babies shifted too. It wasn’t as bad as when they kicked, but it still packed a punch.

Sesshoumaru placed a clawed hand gently on her bump, his thumb caressing slowly. He buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply, and she absently played with his mokomoko that was resting by her thigh. She took comfort in the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat that she could faintly feel on her back. His breath was slow and deep as he exhaled, just slightly more heavily than he usually did. It was barely perceptible, but she knew her husband.

He was exhausted. How had she not realised that?

“Hey, when was the last time you’d slept? Be honest.”

“Hn. A while ago.”

“How many  _ days,  _ you idiot?”

“Two weeks.”  _ Hn, so at least three weeks, then. _

She turned her body around slowly to look at him, frowning. His eyebrows were slightly raised, expression unguarded, and his hair came down in loose strands to frame his face. He looked...so young, somehow. She blushed. Gods, he was gorgeous. She could never get bored of those golden eyes. 

...But that wasn’t the point.  _ Get a grip, Kagura _ .

“I can protect myself just fine, Sesshoumaru. You’re going to need to rest if Kagome is experimenting on your youki for the next few days.”

He scoffed, pulling her close again to rest his chin on her shoulder. 

“Worried for your mate?”

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, so you're allowed to fuss over me when I haven't so much as pause in between my words but I can't when you haven't slept for almost a month?"

He grunted.

"...Fine." He pulled his mokomoko around them and buried his face in her neck, thickly muscled arms wrapped tight across her shoulders. "This Sesshoumaru will sleep."

Hm? 

Oh.

Like this on her shoulder? 

His breath was warm on her collarbones and she reached up to run her fingers in his hair. Mmm, soft. He would probably wake in just a few moments and insist she take all the futons and blankets to lay properly, then proceed to sit and stare at her until morning arrived. Already his breath had steadied, deep and slow; his arms drooping just a very slightly around her shoulders. He was more tired than he let on, stubborn dog.

He's really going to catch a snooze like this and call it sleeping huh?

Well, it was better than nothing. And it felt nice.

She’ll take it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a shorter update today because I'm yearning for more fluffy sesskagu moments and the latest yashahime episode really butchered Sesshoumaru's character :( I've got quite a bit written that progresses the story a little more but I wanna flesh it out a bit first before I post them.
> 
> (I've been trying to keep up with the mess that is Yashahime because I'm curious if they'll really play out the whole "pedomaru subplot is actually a red herring" thing but I'm bored out of my minds with their terrible writing so I'm probably gonna skip it until the season's all done.)
> 
> Please let me know what you think of this chapter as well! 🖤


	7. Excision

He let her sleep in the next morning. 

She had first woken up when he had come into the hut with Rin tugging at his mokomoko. He was carrying a tray of food just after the sun had risen, and left after grunting a monosyllabic "eat" at her, handing her a small dish with slices of pickled radishes. She had nibbled on those and went back to sleep. Her head was still pounding and she figured she could just eat the rest on the tray later.

She came to wakefulness again at noon, her head still feeling like it was going to split in half and her gorge rose rapidly. She immediately rushed out of the sliding doors to throw up in the backyard. As she leaned against one of the posts of the hut, she felt grateful that Rin had left them more umeboshi the night before. Those had gone a long way in helping to manage her nausea.

It wasn’t too bad, as far as the retching went, she’d had worse mornings. She turned around and saw him standing nearby, staring at her in concern. He was dressed casually, still leaving his hair up in a short tail.

Kohaku.

Ah, this boy had been calling her elder sister way before Kagome started with that nonsense. No wonder Sesshoumaru had been comfortable with leaving her alone. She’d thought at first that perhaps he trusted his half-brother more than he would admit, but it seemed he went and got his other ward to keep an eye on her instead.

A small part of her was annoyed. She was not a child to be babysat and she could protect herself just fine. But she was feeling all sorts of awful and wouldn’t mind someone waiting on her at the moment. 

Besides, she liked the boy. 

“Elder sister Kagura, are you alright?” She ignored the question. He reached out his arms to steady her, which she took gratefully. He led her to the engawa and she sat down.

“Yo, Kohaku, are those muscles on your arms bigger? Been working out to impress the girls huh?” She smirked, watching him blush. He had been but a child when they worked together under Naraku’s hold, and he had since grown into a stately youth. “Fetch me a washcloth, and bring the tray from the room for me.”

“Yes, elder sister Kagura.” He snapped to attention. It wasn’t long before he returned - he was nothing if not efficient. She supposed being trained as a demon slayer your whole life would do that to anyone.

“So why are you here? Weren’t you off training somewhere?” She wiped at her mouth and took a swig of tea before picking up her chopsticks to push at her food. 

“Ah, I returned because it’s winter, and my sister and her husband needed help with their kids as they prepared for the cold. They have three now, you know?” He smiled, eyes earnest and brilliant, and she chuckled. Rin was infatuated with the older boy and she could see why. 

“With the monk as her husband, I'm surprised she  _ only  _ has three.” She chewed on a piece of chicken. Bland, but good. “So you’re stuck with babysitting duties at home, and now Sesshoumaru dragged you here to be stuck with babysitting me instead.”

He laughed. “No, Lord Sesshoumaru asked if I could accompany you, and I came, of course. You should have told us that you were pregnant sooner. Oh, forgive me- congratulations! Rin had told me she was very excited ever since she came home from visiting Lord Sesshoumaru’s castle, but she refused to tell me what she was excited about. Now that the news is out, I'm so happy for you, elder sister!”

She smirked, and teased. “You know, you shouldn’t slack off. You have to keep up your training even when you’re here at home. Sesshoumaru’s going to confront you sooner or later and you’re gonna want to be able to hold your own when that happens.”

He cocked his head in confusion, brows coming together into a frown. 

“Elder sister Kagura, if I have done anything to offend-”

“Oh no, not at all.” She waved her hand dismissively, bringing the bowl of soup to her mouth and taking a sip. Yuck. It was cold. She set it back down with a grimace. “It’s just that you’re gonna be courting his eldest daughter, aren’t you? He’s an overprotective dog. He’ll want to have words.”

The effect was immediate. His blush reached his ears and stretched down his neck. She threw her head back and laughed. It was  _ so  _ easy to get under his skin.

“No, I-I’m not. I- Rin is-” 

“It’s ok, I won’t tell.” She winked, bringing another piece of chicken into her mouth. This isn’t bad at all. She swallowed, and took another sip of tea. The boy's face was still flushed, and he kept his eyes locked on a spot on his knees. She chuckled. Oh, she had missed him. 

“So, do you know where Sesshoumaru went?”

“Oh," he snapped himself out of his embarrassment and looked up at her. "Lord Sesshoumaru is in Inuyasha and Lady Kagome’s backyard. He’s been there since the morning. Inuyasha told me they’re practising something.”

Hn? She should check in on their progress. She finished up the last slice of chicken and moved to stand up, leaving the rice and soup untouched. Kohaku was grabbing her arms to help her up in a moment. She let him, one hand coming to rub at her bump.  _ Be good today, babies. _

Her headache had not subsided, but she thanked the heavens the twins weren’t giving her any grief at the moment. Some minor movements here and there, nothing she couldn’t handle. Her back ached terribly despite the long massage Sesshoumaru gave her the night before. Her youki felt zapped, and she felt dreadfully lethargic, like she had not slept in days.

Still, her husband was out there repeatedly leaving himself powerless at Kagome’s whim. It wasn’t like she didn’t trust her, it’s just that the process definitely hurt him more than he was admitting, and she worried. The least she could do was to be there. 

“Let’s go. I want to see what they're doing.” She grabbed onto his forearm, and they went.

\-----

She found Sesshoumaru sitting on the engawa that oversaw Inuyasha's backyard, Kagome seated next to him, about an arm's length apart. Their eyes were both closed, and they seemed to be meditating. Where was Inuyasha? It wasn't like him to leave his wife alone with his brother. 

She had flown with Kohaku in tow and landed on a thick branch on a tree that loomed over the backyard. Her husband had flicked his eyes open to glare at her the moment she landed before closing them again to focus on...whatever it was they were doing. 

She huffed. He can be peeved about her flying all he wanted. That won't stop her. 

Curiously, Jaken was lying face down immobile on the ground close by. Hn? He must have done something to piss off his lord. The jars and bundles that Sesshoumaru had offered to them in exchange for their help yesterday sat in a corner, untouched. She raised a brow, easing herself to sit on a branch to observe from a distance and gesturing for Kohaku to do the same. Her husband would be livid if they didn't accept those gifts; it would mean that the debt that he owed to the half-demon and the priestess would be larger. 

Truth be told, she was glad that they didn't take up his offer of the Bakusaiga anyway. Demonic society would have a field day if they learnt that the great Lord of the Western Lands had lost one of his greatest weapons. Effectively  _ defanged,  _ as Inuyasha had - so surprisingly eloquently and accurately - described it. Just thinking of the potential political ramifications of that worsened her headache. Already, the efforts they had to put in to keep her pregnancy under wraps was exhausting. They did  _ not  _ need more of that nonsense right now. 

There was a small movement in her womb, just barely. She winced.

She had never said it out loud to anyone but she had known her babies were drinking off of her youki all this while. Had known since the day after she started retching. When Sesshoumaru’s terrifying mother had made her assessment of her pregnancy, it only confirmed suspicions which she already had for a while now. She felt it drain every moment of every day, just in small amounts, barely noticeable. 

But just enough to be worrying. 

She took a deep breath and steeled her resolve. No crying in front of Kohaku, now. Kagome was working hard to help them figure this out, and Sesshoumaru would not give up without trying all options. They would work this out. 

She had to believe that.

She turned her focus back on her husband, who was still sitting still on the wooden platform, his face smooth of all expression.

Below, Kagome had reached her hand out to Sesshoumaru, hovering it near the front of his chest. He stiffened, just slightly. 

It was unnerving - she felt his presence  _ disappear  _ but he was still right there.

A pang of fear struck her heart, and she swallowed.

If Kagome didn’t release him or-

Kagome waved her hands and his youki flooded back.

She allowed herself to breathe.  _ He’s fine. He’s fine. He’s fine. He’ll be fine. _

Kagome wouldn’t do that to them. She had to believe that. 

She laid a hand on her bump, seeking comfort in the fuzzy texture that seeped through her fingers. They moved again, hard enough that she could see a slight disturbance on the surface of her kosode. She gritted her teeth and ran her hand over her belly. Was she imagining it, or were their movements getting stronger in the past two days?  _ Look. Your father’s working hard. Be grateful and behave, or I’ll really let you have it when you’re out.  _

The pain subsided and she turned her attention back to her husband and the priestess below. Oh, there was Inuyasha now, walking into the backyard with Rin following closely. And behind them, is that..?

Ah, the monk. 

Hm.. He'd grown his hair out. He nodded to Sesshoumaru before going to Kagome, then the three stood up and walked off the engawa, coming to stand on the bare ground facing each other. Kagome and Sesshoumaru stood about three metres apart and Miroku stood right behind her. His mouth was moving as he spoke, and she caught Kagome nodding at his words. 

Was he giving instructions?

A moment more, and Kagome reached her palm out again. His youki disappeared once more.

She swallowed. 

She couldn't feel her husband.

_ Don't panic. DON'T panic. _

_ He is right there. You can see him. He's not gone. _

She had her hands fisted in her kosode as she watched him take a step forward, and then freezing in the spot. In front of him, Kagome flicked her wrist and the air returned to normalcy.

_ He's fine. _

She had barely taken a breath when his presence vanished again.

This time, he took three steps forward before he froze. A moment more, and Kagome released him.

Oh. That's what they were doing.

They were testing the limits of Kagome's powers, to see if Sesshoumaru's youki could be sealed without actually sealing his physical body.

She relaxed, but only slightly. She felt a stronger sense of gratitude to the priestess now - this process must be draining on her as well. Oh, Kagome had reached her hand out again, they must be start-

The babies kicked. She doubled over, cradling her belly. Pain overwhelmed her senses, spreading in rhythmic pulses that began from her belly. She felt the hairs on her arms rise, and cold sweat dripped down her forehead. She had to ride it out, it'll be over in a moment. Just ride it out.

"Elder sister Kagura, what happened? Are you alright?" Kohaku had his hand on her shoulder, voice concerned.

She gritted her teeth. "-yes. I just-"

They kicked again. Fuck. She closed her eyes, trying to drown out the pain by focussing on her breath. It would be over in a moment, she just-

There was a rush of warmth between her legs, and she felt wetness seeping through her kosode.

Blood soaked through the fabric just above her thighs.

_ No- _

_ No! _

_ Fuck. Don't fucking do this- _

Another kick, and the pain intensified. She felt her vision blur at the edges.

_ No, not like this! _

Someone was yelling..Kohaku? The blood had flowed to her ankles. She could feel it running in rivulets down her legs.

_ Too much, that's too much blood. _

_ Her babies.. _

Warm arms were around her in a moment and she realised she was being carried. 

Her husband. 

_ He’s here. _

_ They’ll be fine. _

She blacked out.

\-----

They had brought the crone to look at Kagura and barred him from the hut while they worked. 

Barred him! That was his mate lying unconscious in there and they  _ barred _ him. But Rin had begged, and he had acquiesced. He growled, pacing on the footpath.

A presence approached from behind. 

The monk.

He turned and snarled, claws bared. He felt the burn at the edge of his scleras and he allowed it to bleed red, not bothering with restraint. What the fuck did this human want?

The monk had a hand held up in front of him placatingly, his eyes solemn.

"Sesshoumaru, I mean no harm. I just wanted to talk." He said quietly. "I know you must be worried for Kagura, but she's in good hands. Lady Kaede had helped birth over a hundred-"

He presumed to know the mind of this Sesshoumaru? He sneered, turning and walking away.

The monk followed. 

He must have a death wish.

"I understand what you're feeling. Sango had a hard time when she was expecting our youngest as well. She was bed-ridden for her last two months of pregnancy and she-" He continued as he followed behind.

He turned again, walking in the other direction. He had no interest in listening to this drivel. What Kagura was experiencing is  _ nothing  _ like what other expectant mothers have had. Nothing came close.

"What I'm trying to say is that, I know you must be terrified, and it's-"

He grabbed the monk by the collar, pulled him close, and snarled.

That put the point across. He shoved him away with a push and walked back to the hut.

They were taking too long.

Too fucking long.

The monk called out again. "Sesshoumaru. You have to calm down. Now. How do you think her body will react if you walk in now with your energies storming like this? Her condition is precarious enough. Hear reason."

He turned back. Glared. How dare he think to lecture-

"You can threaten me all you like. You know I speak the truth."

He stormed towards the man. 

He had a death wish indeed.

"Your wife is bleeding her life out in there, and your unborn children might be in danger. She needs no additional stressors from you. I repeat _ , hear reason, Sesshoumaru _ !"

He halted. 

_ The monk was not wrong. _

...Fine.

Chagrined, he turned to stand outside the hut, taking deep breaths to calm himself and rearranging his features so that the mask of restraint was back on. The metallic taste of her blood still hung in the air and youki pulsed almost imperceptibly from where she lay inside. But how much of it was hers and how much of it belonged to the babes? How much had it drained from her while he dallied?

Coming here was a mistake. He could have left Kagura in the keep while he came to beg the priestess' assistance. If the priestess was favourable, he could have arranged to fly her over to-

The door unlatched. Rin peeked through the gap.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, you can come in now!"

The sliding doors opened wider to show Kagura's prone form lying on the futon. Her breath was shallow. Bloody washcloths sat neatly in a washbasin, and he could scent no fresh blood coming from her, so at least the bleeding had been staunched. The crone knelt close by, as did the priestess, eyeing him as he entered and made to sit next to his mate.

She was too pale. 

Her youki was weak. He could only feel the babes’ energy even from this close proximity. 

Will she-

“Lord Sesshoumaru.” 

He looked up. The crone, Kaede, was addressing him. Rin had spoken extensively of learning from her, and he supposed she carried a certain level of respect in this village. Curiously, the priestess deferred to her despite her being clearly the superior in terms of spiritual power. 

“I’ll be straight with you. I’ve seen this bleeding happen with women, but mostly earlier on in the pregnancy. The blood loss in such cases is usually less as well. We have stopped the bleeding for now, but her condition remains critical.” 

He would have scoffed. He himself could say as much. 

She continued. 

“There seemed to be trauma on her uterus that caused the bleeding. We cannot possibly tell if there is any injury sustained internally. Although,” she turned to look at the priestess, “from what Kagome could tell, it seems the babes are otherwise doing fine.”

No doubt about that. Textured youki pulsed through her belly. 

The babes’.

Where was her own?

“Elder brother, I suspect what had happened was that the babies’ daiyoukai strength had gotten too strong for elder sister’s body to withstand, and with her youki being so low, it is not repairing itself like it is supposed to.”

He did not respond.

That was what he had feared, what pushed him to go mindlessly racing into this village. 

He had thought they would have more time.

Perhaps not.

He looked back at his mate. Her hair had been untied to let her lie comfortably on the futon, and strands of it now lay plastered on her forehead and neck. 

He wiped those aside with his fingers, then turned to the priestess.

“Are you in the state to continue?”

“I..Yes.” Good. She caught his meaning. 

He stood and made to leave, satisfied that the priestess followed behind him. If Kagura survived this, he would gift her and Inuyasha whatever they wished of him. 

“Watch over Kagura.” He nodded to Rin at the doorway, then headed for the backyard where they did their trials earlier.

They would work out a solution today.

\-----

They stood again in his half-brother’s backyard, facing each other. Inuyasha was standing a short distance away with the monk next to him. 

With a deep breath, she began.

The priestess worked her powers and he felt his strength rush out of his body in an instant, numbing his senses and leaving him almost blind. With the help of the monk, they had earlier figured out that if she maintained a weaker bubble of energy, it retained flexibility and allowed him to move instead of sealing him up physically. However, even that was not ideal. The seal either broke too easily, or still restrained him too much. 

To add to that, the oppression on his being when he was sealed up was simply unacceptable. 

He could never subject his sons to that. 

He took a step forward, then another, and another.

The bubble shattered.

He inhaled; at once feeling both the physical relief at the release of the seal and frustration at their failure.

The priestess was frustrated as well.

“I don’t know how else we could do it! If it’s too loose, it breaks. If I so much as reinforce it just a little, it becomes too much!” She turned and paced. “The main problem is just that your youki is connected to your body, almost as if it is a part of your body. If I enclose that, your body becomes enclosed as well. If only if there was a way to remove that connection..”

He looked up. 

_ What had she just said? _

Removing the connection... 

He frowned. It would be dangerous. 

“Priestess, this bubble of energy that you have described. Could you shape it to your will?”

She cocked her head to a side as she considered. She reached out her arm, and then...

“Yes, I can shape it. But what for? The bubble shapes itself fluidly around your youki as-”

“Shape it like a blade.” A blade to remove the connection between youki and body. 

An excision.

“Elder brother, that- I’m not sure it is safe-”

“Try.”

She waved her hand in front of her. He could not see the powers that she manipulated, but he could distinctly feel it. It was a stark coldness, a chill so strong it stood out even in the winter air.

She nodded, arms stretched out in front of her.

“Keep it firm, and cut through my youki.”

There was hesitation in her eyes. She frowned, and chewed at her lip. 

And then she waved, and it sliced through. A bone-chilling spear of power shot through his left torso. He felt it enter, and exit from his back. 

_ It sliced through. _

_ It worked. _

He staggered, the impact of the excision forcing him down on a knee, although - thank the heavens - he kept his back straight. He clenched his jaw shut. The pain was like a deep muscle ache after particularly strenuous exercise, multiplied tenfold - a sour, burning sensation that spread from the inside out, a blunt pain that simmered deep within his core and-

It ceased. As quickly as it had started.

He got to his feet, breathing deeply. He opened and closed his fists experimentally, and rotated his shoulders. Nothing seemed out of place. 

He was...intact, despite the sudden exhaustion that followed the draining of his youki. There was a mild ache in his muscles, but nothing unbearable.

The priestess was staring wide-eyed in shock. Inuyasha standing protectively in front of her, stance alert and reactive. He would have scoffed if he was not occupied with making sure no observer knew how out of breath he was.

"Elder brother..?" 

He ignored her, continuing his internal inspections of his body. She had put a hand on her husband's shoulder, and walked around him to approach. Her eyebrows were upturned in concern. 

Fool woman. This Sesshoumaru had withstood stronger attacks than this.

Although... He frowned.

The priestess had exercised incredible restraint and control in this trial. The amount of youki she had removed was a mere fraction of the whole. 

She had removed almost  _ nothing. _

How had he allowed it to bring him to his knees? He clenched his jaw in frustration. He expected his unborn babes to bear this? That the pain was only momentary was a small consolation. He turned his attention back to the priestess. 

“Do it again. Cut more this time. Half it.”

She shared a look with her husband, frowns on their brows.

“Elder brother, I don’t think it is-”

“Do it. Youki recovers.”

She hesitated only a moment more, then waved. The same spear of power that had shot through his torso now speared him again. He tightened his fists, only short of drawing blood from his palms. He let the surge of heat and ache wash over him, bracing himself for more, and then-

It ceased. Curious. The pain lasted no more than the first time the priestess cut at him. He worked through his muscles slowly again, finding again that he suffered no physical injuries.

He felt the lethargy catching up on his system. His strength had indeed been curbed yet, already, he felt his youki slowly building back up.

“How much did you excise?”

“Half. As you had requested.”

“Does control of the power come easy to you?”

“It- Yes, elder brother.”

He allowed himself to breathe.

This...would work. If the excision could be done carefully for the twins - one at a time - they could monitor the regrowth of the youki and request for the priestess to work her powers again if it grew too much for Kagura’s body to withstand. If his guess was right, the least it could do was allow her own youki to build back up so that she could heal normally again.

If he was wrong.. No. 

No.

It would work.

It  _ must _ work. 

His heart clenched. To take this pain was much to ask from their unborn children. This would injure them before they were even born. But doing so would allow them to live and - if his own experience counted for anything - they would heal. And she would live.

He turned to the priestess. “You will perform this same technique on the babes.”

“Wait one fucking second, Sesshoumaru.” Inuyasha interrupted. “I know you’re anxious but this could go wrong in so many ways. These are your  _ children  _ we’re talking about.”

He flicked him a glare. Did he think this Sesshoumaru an imbecile?

“Inuyasha’s right, elder brother. You may be able to take the removal of your youki, and your youki recovers quickly because of your strength. We don’t know what will happen if we do the same for the babies. They’re too small and-”

“There is no other option. Kagura’s body is at its limit.” He would not have entertained such risky methods otherwise.

Another moment’s hesitation, and she nodded, her face resolute. Inuyasha scoffed, but made no further objections. 

He frowned, finding a foreign sensation emerging from within.  


He found himself...grateful for their presence.

Tch. 

No doubt just a bout of weakness that had resulted from recent stresses and lack of rest.

He turned and headed for the hut where his mate lay.

His brother and his sister-in-law followed closely behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wasn't too satisfied with this one but don't really know how else to build it. Kinda feel like just rushing forward to when they've had the twins and I can write a bit about them as parents 🥺 I have Thoughts about Sesshoumaru cuddling his girls 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 But also I'm enjoying imagining them as their pregnancy progresses, so we'll see where this writing goes I guess?? I'm sorry I'm just really not very good at this!
> 
> Please let me know what you think of this chapter as well! As usual, I'd really appreciate any feedback for the writing too! 
> 
> On that note, it's the Lunar New Year in just a few days, so happy new year to those who celebrate! :)


	8. Exuberance

Kagura opened her eyes and saw the most beautiful being she had ever laid eyes on.

He actually was.

And the man probably _knows_ it himself, that arrogant dog. 

He was gorgeous. 

Once, she had thought she wouldn't be able to see him ever again.

Blessed be the way things had worked out.

He had his hair draped all over one shoulder now. His eyes were closed, though he sat stiffly by her side. She glanced around the room. Lamps lit up the corners and the door was shuttered. They were alone in the hut. 

Her throat was parched and her back ached where her bones met the thin futon which barely cushioned her body, but she kept still, unwilling to let him know she was awake yet, just simply studying his face and admiring the view. Those delicate facial features, that long and silky hair that never seemed to frizz even after days without an opportunity to wash. Ridiculously long lashes fringing red eyelids which - she was shocked to have learnt - were faded tattoos and not, in fact, rouge, which she had assumed it was.

Her breathing patterns must have changed, for he flicked his eyes open to meet hers.

Pools of molten gold. 

She sighed.

Gorgeous.

“Kagura.” He rose partially into a kneel, frowning and studying her eyes. “Do you hurt?”

Hn? No. In fact, she had not felt so well-rested in months. What happened-

Her eyes widened. 

_Her babies…_

She brought her hand to her belly. 

She relaxed.

They were still there. She could still feel them, their fuzzy, textured youki still skimmed over her fingers. 

_Thank the fucking heavens._

She shook her head as she propped herself up on her elbows and moved to sit up. His hands were around her waist in a moment, and he shifted closer to hold her up. He brought a cup of water to her, which she emptied hungrily, and then gestured for more. Fuck, she was thirsty.

“How long was I out?”

“Three nights have passed.” 

Oh. 

Wow. 

That explained his tension.

“I feel...great, actually. What happened?” She said in between sips. “I remember bleeding, but the babies...they’re not injured, are they? They feel the same to me.” There was nothing wrong from what she could discern, but could something have happened to-

“No. They are safe now. We worked the procedure while you slept.” 

She froze. 

The procedure. 

Did Kagome seal up her babies?

No. She could still feel them. They had worked something different then.

“What did Kagome do? It didn’t hurt them, did it?”

He met her eyes. “Our sons live. And so do you.”

She breathed. That’s good, that’s-

She cocked her head. He didn’t answer her question.

Why the fuck not?

What had they done?

She narrowed her eyes. “ _What_ did she do?”

His reluctance to give a straight response was infuriating. He was hardly ever like this so what the fu-

“Their youki is halved.”

“How?”

“The priestess worked her powers.”

“No fucking shit.”

He exhaled deeply. “She created a blade of power, and sliced it through. The part that came away dissipated.”

She flinched, swinging her head around, eyes wide.

_What?_

_Did he really fucking make her babies go through that?_

“You're fucking with me. Did you get her to try it on you before letting her do that?”

“Yes.”

“And? It didn’t hurt? How is that possible?” She had had her youki drained during combat. It was not always dangerous, but definitely, undoubtedly, always _excruciating._

Naraku had drained her youki as _punishment_ on occasions. As _torture_.

And she had always needed to take _days_ to recover.

How _dare_ he?

“Only momentarily. Our sons will heal.”

So it _did_ hurt. She glared at him.

He looked away, so she grabbed his jaw and brought his eyes back on her. 

He glared back.

Insufferable dog.

“How fucking dare you.”

“You would have me leave you for dead?”

“You could have killed them!”

He growled. “I had the method tested on myself before I allowed the priestess to work it on them.”

“That means nothing! You’re what? Eight centuries old? Nine? Our babies are barely five months into their existence!”

“It was a risk I had to take.”

“They could have _died!_ They could have _-_ ”

_"You_ would have died, and they along with you! What would you have me do, _Kagura_!"

She stared at him. He had yelled.

He _yelled._

He never yelled. 

Not in battle, not when insulted, not in anger, not in frustration. He _never_ deigned to raise his voice. 

Especially not at her.

He looked away first, running a hand over his face and through his hair. He had closed his eyes, a frown marring his brows.

The silence stretched. She hadn’t noticed it at first, but realisation dawned on her that she had been shouting. The silence loomed over them. Angry tears had spilled down her cheeks. When had that happened? She swiped at them, annoyed.

"It will not happen again." 

An apology.

She huffed, turning away from him, although she knew his words to be the truth.

He reached a hand to hers and, when she did not pull away, moved closer to hold her in an embrace. He rested his chin on her shoulder and pressed his nose into her hair. 

She let him, and told herself it was because she was feeling cold anyway.

His thumb was rubbing circles on her arm. 

"The last time.” He whispered. 

What?

“The last time this Sesshoumaru was indecisive, you died."

...oh.

Was he still feeling remorseful over that? They've been over this, she did _not_ blame-

"I cannot lose you again." He continued in a harsh whisper, his voice coarse, like he had been screaming. He pulled her in closer. “So let our sons resent their father. I will take you being angry over being dead. You live. They live. That is enough.”

He...wasn’t wrong. She supposed she couldn’t fault him for that.

He’d pressed his face into her neck, breathing deeply. 

She let him.

His arms were wrapped around her shoulders. She rested a hand on her belly and reached out the other to interlace her fingers with his. He turned slightly to nuzzle at her hair, and his fingers tightened around her own.

He said nothing more.

So neither did she.

\-----

When she woke, Kagura left her husband sleeping alone in the hut - if keeping his eyes closed while sitting stiffly facing the entrance could be constituted as sleeping. The village still tinged with the blue of dawn, and the sun had barely kissed the horizon. She had flipped open the sliding doors before she announced her intention to go flying and he hadn't objected. It seemed that he had finally allowed himself to rest now that she was evidently out of the red.

Which she definitely was. The changes to her physiology were _stark_. 

The babies had kicked. Throughout the night. Multiple times and _vigorously_. Yet they now felt merely as if someone was running their hands very quickly over her belly, except on the inside. It was mildly uncomfortable - like if you'd put frogs on her belly and let them crawl about as they wished - but it hardly hurt. 

No, it did not hurt. Not at all.

She could even bring herself to push with just a little bit of strength on her bump, and the babies would push back from the inside.

Fun stuff. Who would have thought you could play with them even before they were born? She and Sesshoumaru had done that intermittently in the night until she felt just a little bit of a cramp starting, and she had panicked and told him to stop. They had spent the next hour awake and alert.

It had thankfully turned out to be nothing. Perhaps they had just poked her belly too much. 

She felt just a slight tinge of regret at screaming at Sesshoumaru earlier. He'd been right. That her babies could be so active despite having gone through what was an intense procedure on their youki was evidence that it hadn’t been so bad for them after all.

Oh, well.

She would make it up to him when they returned home. She's finally feeling better than she had for months and there were _activities_ they've been missing out on. 

She grinned. Let him _try_ to reject her advances then.

For now, she wanted the skies.

She stepped carefully on the dirt paths that led to the village entrance, took a deep breath, and _flew._

The wind rushed at her face and she sighed. 

Oh, she had missed this feeling _so fucking much._

The wind rushed through her hair and ruffled her kosode. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the winter chill on her face as she soared higher than she'd dared to do so in months.

Soon the village was but a messy smudge of brown amidst pale fields. 

Higher, still, she soared. 

The wind roared in her ears. When was the last time she went so fast? A hand jumped to rub her bump - her babies were dancing.

She laughed, her voice drowned out by the buffeting winds. Did they feel her joy? Her exuberance? Could they also be experiencing this rush of euphoria and freedom that was washing through her body? 

_Mum will teach you to fly like this when you're older!_

She grinned. Her babies would live for that to happen. 

No doubt about that now.

She threw her head back and laughed again, coming to a stop so that she hovered. Her nausea had retreated far enough that she felt no dizziness at this breathtaking height, even though the air was thin. She grinned, taking in the view. She would have to thank Kagome when she returned - that priestess had worked remarkable wonders. The control that she must have had over her powers in order to make such a precise excision on her babies without hurting them permanently...

She cocked her head.

It bespoke unbelievable power.

That was why Naraku feared her so terribly. She probably could have defeated Naraku all on her own.

Huh. 

How had she not realised that before?

Well, whatever it was, they owed her now. Hmph. She and Inuyasha had better not be changing their minds about the Bakusaiga though. 

She looked down. The village was not visible anymore from this height. Thin clouds swirled all around her, covering the landscape below her with a milky transparency. She released the tie at her hair to feel the wind teasing at the strands. She closed her eyes, savouring the full assault on her senses. 

Truly, it had been too long. 

She rubbed at her belly, gave it a moment's thought, then nudged gently at it. They gave a small kick back.

She laughed. Rascals.

“Let’s go faster, then.”

\-----

Sesshoumaru was already waiting at the doorsteps when she returned, armour and swords secured. He had their pack sitting on the ground next to his feet in a small bundle. Probably really eager to leave. His gaze stuck on her as she prepared to descend. 

She, too, couldn’t wait to return.

Eh, Jaken was here too. He was squawking, as he always did. Waving his weird staff around, as he always did. Kagura rolled her eyes.

“Kagura! Why have you flown off like that on your own? How dare you risk the lives of Lord Sesshoumaru’s progeny like this? You should be honoured and grateful that you have been chosen by Lord Sesshoumaru to bear his children! Not running around without a care! You ought to be more careful with-”

She flicked her fan, sending a gust of wind that knocked him a few feet away. She smirked. That stopped his yammering.

She dismissed her feather as she landed near her husband, and only then did she notice a palanquin had arrived.

Tch. He had lost his mind.

She scowled, turning to him. “I’m _not_ getting in there again. I can fly perfectly fine now.”

He grunted. “It’s for the priestess.”

Oh, more gifts then. She poke her head through the vehicle’s doors to see more bolts of cloth, several unmarked sealed jars, and...are those weapons? She raised a brow, reaching out to test the weight of a hefty mace. More than half the palanquin was stacked with an assortment of basic melee weapons. This was his gift to her? The archer priestess whose husband was the wielder of one of the strongest blades to ever exist?

Hn, whatever. She didn’t understand the gift, but not like it would dent his armoury much. He’d probably explain later on the way back.

“Kagura!”

“Elder sister!”

She turned at the voice to see Inuyasha stepping out of his home, Kagome followed closely behind, breaking into a smile the moment she saw her. Kagura returned the smile, gratitude welling up in her heart. Sure, the priestess was a tad bit saccharine, but she had for a long time shown her nothing but kindness. Even before, when her life was not her own. Kagura owed her more than just for saving her babies. 

“Kagome.” The priestess took her hands into her own. She let her. “Thank you.”

“Elder sister, please don’t mention it. I’m just so glad you’re better now! We had to wait several days for your own youki to build back up before your body could heal on its own. Are you sure you’re alright? Are you still feeling unwell in any way?”

Kagura chuckled. 

“Nope. They are so well behaved now. Here, feel.” She brought Kagome’s hands to her belly and pressed. “I’ve been playing with them all day.”

The priestess expression was a delight to watch as she felt the twins kick in response. She looked up and gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth. Kagura grinned as Kagome continued cooing at her belly. Inuyasha stood closely, watching her quietly. She raised a brow at him.

“Hn? Inuyasha, you wanna feel the babies too?” Sesshoumaru’s glare cut colder than the icy air. She smirked. “Though your brother might cut off your hand for that.”

The half-demon rolled his eyes. “Hmph! As if I’d want to do that! Sesshoumaru’s pups probably aren’t even cute anyway.”

She scoffed, then almost laughed out loud when she turned to look at her husband. A sneer plastered his face only because he was exercising restraint so as not to snarl. He would be grumbling about this all the way back home. 

“Whatever, Inuyasha. Keep saying shit like that and I won’t invite you to their weaning ceremony.”

And now Sesshoumaru directed his glare at her instead. Oh? Did he not intend to invite his only brother to the ceremony? Too bad then. Her babies are definitely getting _properly_ blessed, and if that means all family members must be around to witness the ceremony, she’s going to make sure it happened. She chuckled. For all Sesshoumaru’s complaints about his half-brother being immature and petty, he wasn’t that much different from him. 

He rolled his eyes. 

“Jaken.” He ordered, and the imp rushed to his side. He gestured to the palanquin with a nod and left the imp to it, turning and walking the opposite direction. She scoffed and moved to join him, linking her arms into his. Sure, the man could give up significant gifts - including offering the most powerful weapon in his arsenal - in a show of gratitude but apparently actually _saying_ “thank you” was too much fucking work.’’

Petty, stubborn dog.

“Those gifts are for you!” She called out behind her to the couple, smiling widely. “Sesshoumaru and I give our thanks, but we’ll be going now!”

She turned back to her husband, smiling as she heard Kagome responding with her farewells. He released her hold on his arm to drape the mokomoko over her shoulders, eyes kept straight and distant. Were they leaving immediately?

“What about Rin?” The girl had earlier indicated her interest to stay with them until winter passed. That was smart of her. The wooden huts in this village barely kept out the cold.

“She will return to the keep with Jaken as escort when she awakes.”

“Hn. Good.”

They continued on in companionable silence, past the village entrance and into the open fields that fringed the village. The forest where they had landed days before stood hulking ahead. His mokomoko was soft around her shoulders, and he had slinked an arm around her waist when they were far enough from the humans. He was so warm. She brought a hand to her belly and gave it a gentle rub.

They were safe now. This visit had not been for naught. 

It was as if a burden was lifted from her shoulders. A mild ache still lingered in her lower back, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle. Looking straight at the glare of the sky didn’t give her a pounding headache any longer either.

And her babies would live. Her heart warmed at that thought.

It hadn’t been long after they entered the forest when Sesshoumaru broke the silence. 

“Any more ill-spoken words come out of Inuyasha’s mouth about our sons, I will rip his lips off.” He snarled, a low rumbling that she could feel from the side of her chest.

She smirked. Was he still on about that then? This petty, humourless-

He continued, growling. “We will see whose pups are cuter when the priestess delivers.”

What?

She turned, surprised.

“Kagome’s pregnant? They didn’t say anything!”

He snorted. “It is early. The half-wit is too incompetent to scent anything.”

She threw her head back and laughed, rubbing at her belly again. Sesshoumaru scoffed.

“You hear that, babies? You’re going to be cousins.”

“...No.”

She chuckled, poking him lightly at his side. “Oh, no, it’s happening, Sesshoumaru. I’m making sure of it.”

He rolled his eyes and dropped his arms from her waist, taking to the sky without her. 

_Asshole_. 

She grinned.

Summoning her feather, she caught up with him. 

With a hand cradling her belly and the frigid wind blowing at her face, she was feeling warmer than she had felt in a long time. Inside, her babies were dancing again. They really liked flying too, huh?

She smiled.

“We’re going home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't too happy with this one so it took awhile :/ Sorry if Sesshoumaru seems a little OOC in this chapter - I'm basically imagining that he just was recently terrified out of his mind for the first time in his life and he's just really exhausted at this point. I think Kagura's really coming into her role as a mom in this one though!
> 
> Happy lunar new year to all who celebrate and I hope you'll share with me your thoughts for this chapter as well! 🖤


	9. Father

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads-up: explicit sexual content in this one.

Four days.

Four  _ whole  _ days have passed now since they have returned home.

And Sesshoumaru had flat out rejected every single one of her advances. 

She rolled her eyes. Did he really expect her to remain celibate until the babies were born? That was  _ months _ away. 

The first night when they had returned, she dragged him to join her for a long soak in the bath connected to their private rooms. Being mated to a Lord was fantastic - hidden pipes funneled water from underground springs directly to the bath, and fragrant soaps were laid out on trays for her to pick from, a far cry from the pittance of what they had in the human village. The steamy warmth of the bathroom had her heart racing, and when she planted her lips on his, he had opened up with welcome. But then she had moved to straddle him and he simply picked her up at the hips and dropped her back down beside him, immediately getting up for a towel to dry off while leaving her sitting in the water alone.

Atrocious! It wasn’t as if he didn’t want it, if his very erect length tenting his hakama was any indication. 

She had pointed  _ that  _ out and he had ignored her. 

Ignored her! How fucking dare he?

She scoffed, twirling a strand of hair that had come loose from the wind with her fan. She was seated on the balcony that oversaw his training hall - the highest point in the castle - waiting for the moon to emerge from the clouds. It was the first place she’d checked which did not have servants or guards or attendants of some kind lurking around. Her hand idly ran over her belly. The twins were pretty quiet today.

Her second attempt on the next day had been  _ immaculate _ . He had left the keep to deal with some errant half-wit that had decided to claim a portion of the Western Lands as their own, and she had the whole day to plan for his return. 

And planned she did. 

She had his favourite rice wine fetched from the kitchen - just slightly bloodied by a cut to her own palm and  _ sure  _ to intoxicate him at first whiff. She had a tray of some choice cuts of meats and fish brought in to set the mood, and she had dressed in that one custom furisode with a deeper than normal plunge at the back that he liked, and she lit the special blend of incense that inu-youkai were particularly  _ sensitive  _ to in the corners of their rooms. The servants were ordered to keep away from their chambers and she had sat back to wait for his return.

"You know how your father reacted to that? All that work? He took the tray I made for him, and slept in a  _ guest room _ ! Said something stupid about not risking hurting you two.” She huffed, speaking at her belly. “My babies are stronger than that, aren't you? Hmm?"

A slight movement from her babies pushed at her womb. She cocked her head, surprised. Were they reacting to her emotions? Or were they actually reacting to her voice because their stronger sense of hearing allowed them to hear her even from within? 

Huh. She...probably shouldn't be complaining to them about her and Sesshoumaru's sex life then. 

_ Or rather, the lack of it.  _ She rolled her eyes. 

Whatever. She wasn't intending to give up her attempts yet. Her back had hurt something awful after the midday meal earlier, and he had left her alone in their rooms to go about discussing something with a potential tutor that he was considering employing for Rin. He wasn't around when she awoke so she ate and went for a quick flight around the grounds.

Then she'd landed here. Alone.

Alone and very  _ very _ horny.

She groaned. She had been in too much constant pain and nausea over the past months to have cared about her other needs, but now that that was over, the need was  _ urgent _ . To hell with Sesshoumaru's code of restraint. The man slept with his chest bared. Bared! She was supposed to sleep next to that and not feel anything? Was he insane?

She ground her teeth. She had to get it done herself then. She still had that phallus toy that she had picked up from a passing merchant a few years ago and if he didn't like it, he could-

Oh.

_ Oh. _

A smile spread slowly on her face. She tapped her fan idly on her lip.

If he didn't like it, he could just  _ watch.  _

Feeling good about the plan that was forming in her head, she got on her feet and headed towards their rooms.

Even if it didn't work, she'd get some relief anyway. 

Win-win.

\-----

She pulled the tortoise-shell toy from its wooden case, turning it over in her hands and studying its translucent brownish appearance. It was polished to a shine, and had gentle ridges all over its surface. It came with a hollow leather sheath, though she ignored it for now. The matron who sold it to her years ago had smiled slyly at her and encouraged her to soak it in warm water for a few minutes before use. Said it would make it feel just like the real thing.

Kagura scoffed. That poor crone probably never had a real cock in her life. She palmed it. Maybe the length was similar, but Sesshoumaru had twice this thing's girth. 

Whatever. It would work well enough. She dropped it into a pot of warm water, but only because it was actually frigid and there was no way she's putting anything that cold in her.

While that warmed up, she got out that jar of wine from the previous day. He did quite like the taste of it and she figured it wouldn't hurt to make the mood cozy. Then she slipped out of her kosode and changed into her sleeping robes - a softer red silk with a trailing bamboo motif - and left them loosely secured.

He would be back soon. She got comfortable on the futon with her back supported by the headboard, and fished the toy out with her fingers. Hmm, yes it had warmed up quite a bit. 

Her heart pounded. 

She was actually getting excited.

She had never used this. There was that one time with this other youkai girl - way back before Sesshoumaru came into her life - but that toy was a double-headed one, and-

She shook her head.  _ Focus. _

She gripped the phallus firmly, bringing it down to her sex and rubbing its domed tip slightly on the exterior. She jumped when it pushed across the small nub on her core. This felt..

Oh, this felt  _ good.  _

This would work. Even if Sesshoumaru wasn't seduced, this would do.

Her other hand went to her breasts, and she moaned when her fingers brushed her nipples. Pregnancy had made them so fucking  _ sensitive.  _ Two fingers pinched at a nipple gently until it pebbled. She slipped the phallus into her slit, spreading her legs just slightly more. She pushed it deeper.

Oh, fuck.

Fuck, yes. This was-

She groaned, closing her eyes as the pressure mounted in her core. The toy was not big but it filled her out nicely. She pumped it in and out of her slit, whimpering when she found that tilting it slightly upwards pushed it at just the  _ right  _ spot. She rubbed at the spot for a moment more, then took it out to press it at her clit again. The toy had warmed up quite a bit, and was slippery now from her own wetness. It glided across the nub beautifully and she gasped. Her hips jerked, but she kept the toy focussed on her clit. Her breath was loud and heavy now as she felt the pleasure climbing, nearing the precipice. 

Already? Was it because she was hormonal? She had barely started and Sesshoumaru hadn’t even-

The doors to their room slid open and she opened her eyes.

Golden eyes met hers, and she slowed her ministrations. He inhaled deeply, and snarled, snapping the doors shut. A flare of youki slammed into her.

She smiled. 

Oh, this would work alright.

Sesshoumaru stalked over to where she laid on the futon, steps heavy. His face was schooled to an emotionless mask, but red had seeped into his scleras, faded back to normalcy, then red again, and she knew he was struggling with restraint. She smirked, then brought her hand up to lick at the toy. She let her tongue run over the phallus, tasting her own tartness. He stood at the foot of the futon, eyes travelling slowly across her body.

“Like what you see, husband?” She breathed, her heart racing.

He growled. And in the next breath, he had crouched over the futon and his claws sank into her hips, wrapping his lips around her sex. She gasped, arching her back. She found her hand had fisted in his silver locks while the other grabbed at her breasts, the toy thrown aside. His tongue had snaked out to flick at her clit. It was warm, and so soft, yet firm, and-  _ Yes, yes, don’t fucking stop _ \- She was going to-

She stiffened, gasping and clawing at the sheets. Her thighs closed around his head as her orgasm coursed through her body. He lapped at her sex a few moments more as her pleasure subsided, then he stood up. She stayed laying there, her heartbeat a thunderous rhythm in her chest as she caught her breath. Then he stood back up on the floor; his eyes never left her body for a single moment. 

She would have chuckled if she wasn’t breathing so hard. His eyes were still flashing, pupils dilated. She moved to sit up, hands grabbing at his obi to-

He stopped her with a hand to her wrists.

“Mate. This one would not hurt our sons to sate my lust.” His voice was a hoarse growl.

Tch. Was he still going on about that?

She grabbed at his length through his hakama. He hissed. 

Gods, he was big. 

“They are strong.” She purred as she pulled on him firmly closer to the futon until he was kneeling on it fully. Gusts of wind untied the straps on his clothes and she slipped it off of his shoulders. He did not resist it further. She leaned back, taking in the view - Sesshoumaru with his chest bared, eyes hooded, and a prominent bulge between his legs. 

Fuck, she wanted him so bad. 

She sent another gust of wind which knocked him on his back, then tugged at the fastenings at his hakama, giggling as he brought his hands to help her with the task. Seemed like he had decided to fully give in. Another moment more and his length was released from its bindings. 

Kagura swallowed. She would have taken him into her mouth if it weren’t for her bump in the way. She couldn’t help that. So she straddled him, placed her hands on his chest, lined up her slit with his length, and slipped it in all the way through.

_ Fuck. _

She had missed this.

Sesshoumaru’s strangled hiss was an aphrodisiac. She threw her head back as she started moving her hips, whimpering softly. Oh, the toy was  _ nothing  _ like her husband. She closed her eyes, savouring the way he stretched her out. This position rubbed at her clit delightfully and the pleasure spread slowly around her core, building her up to another orgasm. She moved faster, smirking as she felt his hands coming to grab at her hips to help her along. 

Her breath caught as he pushed them toward a much faster rhythm, faster than she is currently physically capable of holding. His breath was heavy, and his chest was warm and flushed under her palms. No longer caring about keeping up with his movements, she brought her hands back to her nipples, and moaned. It heightened her pleasure anew. Who knew being pregnant made everything feel much more intense? The pressure in her core mounted higher. She was nearly-

Below her, Sesshoumaru had increased their speed, and she could hear a growl rumbling his chest. 

He was close, too.

“Sesshoumaru- don’t you dare- don’t you dare fucking stop now.” She gasped in between her breath.

His eyes flicked up to meet hers, catching her in an intense stare. Then his thumb went to her clit, and rubbed.

That was all it took. She dug her nails into his chest as her orgasm crashed through her senses, a high keening sound escaping her lips. She felt herself tighten around him even as he continued to plunge in and out of her. A breath more, and he stiffened. His claws were a vice on her hips and his eyes snapped shut as he finished inside her.

They stayed in that position, breathing heavily. The room was suddenly uncomfortably warm, and her kosode stuck to her skin. She shrugged it off, throwing it on the floor.

Looking down back at her husband, she smirked. His eyes were back to their usual colouring now. He stared at her through his lashes, his eyelids hooded and gaze lazy. His lips were parted and he breathed deeply through them.

“Don’t go falling asleep now.” She warned, flicking a finger at his chest, chuckling.

He scoffed, lifting hips gently up and helping her lay back down on the futon. He rolled over to get off the futon, not bothering to dress and walking over to the bath.

She closed her eyes, feeling boneless and satisfied as she laid there catching her breath.

Her babies kicked.

She brought a hand to her belly, surprised. There had been no movement in her womb throughout their coupling. But now that they did move, she found herself assured that going at it with Sesshoumaru had indeed not hurt them after all. Oh, she had not worried about that, but it was still nice to know for sure.

After all, she did not intend to stop with it anytime soon.

She smiled, closing her eyes again, waiting for her husband’s return.

\-----

“Hey, what were your parents like?” 

She had asked, her voice languid and velvet. Soft, yet stark against the quiet of the winter air that pervaded their rooms.

He blinked slowly. This question was...unexpected.

She was nestled in his arms, her bare back resting on his chest and her heartbeat still thundering to his ears. He had been reclining with his eyes closed on the futon headboard after he fetched her a damp washcloth when she squeezed her way between his legs and got comfortable with his mokomoko like he was a piece of furniture. He did not mind it, resting a clawed hand on her swollen belly, feeling the textures of the babes’ youki which, despite being less intense, felt more and more distinct from her own each day. They had not recovered to their original strength, nor had they faltered further. His mother had been right in her assessment - they would be hanyou. He found himself content with that thought.

He had been relaxed; luxuriating in the warmth of her body on his, feeling more calm and soothed than he had had in weeks, and was ready to fall into a peaceful sleep. But her query had taken him aback, and he came to full wakefulness.

His father was dead. His mother lived, but he kept his meetings with her to less than a handful each decade. They wisely kept out of each others’ business. 

Kagura has met his mother only recently. She must still remember her.

What else was there to talk about them?

“My father is dead. You have met my mother.” He shifted slightly in the futon.

She scoffed. “What were they  _ like _ ? When you were a child? They did raise you, right?”

“Hn.”

There was a pause and he wondered if she was being careful in choosing her words.

“Tch. I just...didn’t have parents, you know?” She pressed his mokomoko closer to her chest, her voice small. “There was Naraku, I guess, but he couldn’t count for much as a father, could he?” 

He bristled. She considered Naraku her father?

She continued, sighing. “Here I am, about to become a parent myself, and I don’t even know anything about one. Thought you might be able to enlighten me on that.”

He frowned. He did not have the closest relationships with his parents himself. 

But...

He exhaled softly. 

“My parents were inu-daiyoukai.”

A pause, and then. “Wow, I did not know that.”

He scoffed, nuzzling at her hair. His mate enjoyed thinking herself a connoisseur in humour. He breathed in her heady burnt scent, and continued.

“They were the daiyoukai of old. Traditional, ostentatious, formal. I was raised to be Touga’s successor.” He rubbed his thumbs absently on her belly, concentrating on one part when he felt one of the babes moving. “I grew up in Father’s castle.”

“Your parents didn’t live together?”

He shook his head. “It was not the way. They were both powers, and each had their domains. It would not do for them to overlap.”

“Hn. So how did the Inu no Taishou raise his son?” 

How, indeed. Sesshoumaru frowned, his lips parting to answer yet finding himself struggling with his words. His memories of childhood were hazy, but he distinctly remembered having nursemaids, tutors, and swordmasters, up until his first decade. As the heir apparent of the Western Lands, his life as a youth was carefully prescribed and curated. 

And Father had trained him in combat.

Touga did not raise him, as one would a child. Touga forged him as a metalsmith would a blade - folding, hammering, welding steel thousands of times over to expel it of imperfections. 

Tch.

Analysing his thoughts about that would take too much unnecessary effort, so he tabled it. 

Instead, he continued, exhaling deeply. “I had tutors for my studies and manners. Father oversaw my swordsmanship training.”

“Manners? You tried to kill me at our first meeting.”

He snorted. She had struck at him as well. “You know what I mean.”

“Hah, such an aristocrat’s son you are. I would have punched you if I knew you as a child.” She chuckled. A small smile tugged at the side of his lips. That much was true. He was indeed an insufferable youth. 

“Was it weird, not being able to see your mother as you grew up?” She asked, voice soft. 

He raised a brow. She had misunderstood.

“Mother visited frequently. My parents had no love for each other but..there was loyalty, and friendship, I believe.” And if not - he rolled his eyes - there was always lust.

“Until Inuyasha’s human mother came along, I suppose?”

He scoffed. 

“My parents are inu-daiyoukai of old.”

“Uh-huh. So you’ve said. What does that have to do with her?”

“The older youkai favoured more...communal lifestyles. She was hardly my father’s first lover. Nor my mother’s, though she never took to humans much. They probably shared.”

Kagura sat up and whipped her head back to stare at him, incredulity in her eyes. 

“ _ What _ ?”

He looked back at her, amused. “Izayoi was a unique woman. She caught the eyes of not one, but two of the most powerful demons of her time. Having multiple partners is not frowned upon.”

“You’re saying your mother fucked Inuyasha’s mother  _ with _ your father.”

“I could not know for sure. But she frequented both my parents’ abodes. Inu-daiyoukai courts are famously debaucherous. I never developed a taste for it, hence my withdrawal.”

“No fucking way.” She poke a finger on his chest. “I don’t believe it.”

He scoffed. “You have seen my mother’s audience chamber. Why did you think it was so big? It had to accommodate beast forms.”

Besides, that Inuyasha survived alone as a child hanyou even after his mother had passed was no coincidence.

“Huh.”

She stared at him a moment more, then leaned back on his chest with a huff. Kagura was not the first to have misunderstood. Over the years, many have assumed the Lady of the Sky would harbour hatred for the deceased Inu no Taishou for his polyamory, when in fact, it was a mutually respected decision and no infidelity was involved.

“Hmph. Though, I’ll have you know I’m no inu-daiyoukai. You try and fuck someone else, human or otherwise, and I will rip you to shreds.” 

He snorted, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her close.

“Jealous, mate?”

“Tch. I’m simply reassessing everything I thought I knew about daiyoukai culture. For all you elites look down on us common youkai, you sure are a bunch of freaks.” She shoved him lightly in the chest with her elbow. “Also, I’m just processing the fact that you brought me and our babies to meet your mother in what was basically her  _ orgy room _ .”

That...was one way of putting it. But it was not like there was any other room in the Sky Castle that did not also serve that purpose. 

They lounged in silence for moments. Her question about his parents had led his mind in directions he had rather not venture into. Even before his father’s passing, their relationship was distant. Would he have been satisfied with the way he was now, had he lived to know? Would he still look at his son with that same gaze of disapproval as he had often done when he was alive?

“Father-He...gifted Ah-Un to me. When I came of age.” He frowned. His voice came out softer than he had wanted it to be. 

“Oh! That’s nice of him. Ah-Un’s the best.” 

He sighed. Kagura had grown strangely attached to the dragon in recent days, preferring sometimes to fly on its back than with her own feather. But that was not what he had meant. He pressed his nose deeper into her hair, taking comfort in her scent. 

He hesitated. 

_ What _ had he meant to say?

He breathed.

“It was the only gift I had received from him when he was alive, aside from the Tenseiga, which he only bequeathed after his passing.”

The Tenseiga.

That sword was...complicated. When he had first known that the Tenseiga had been gifted to him, he had thought it a worthless gift. But it mattered not - it was not the first time his father had done something enigmatic. However, when he had learnt that the Tetsusaiga would go to Inuyasha, his heart had turned cold.

The implications were clear enough.

Touga had proved with his actions, even posthumously, the disdain that he felt for his eldest son. 

He scoffed, finding himself annoyed. Embarrassing that he let something so trivial still be infiltrating his mind years after.

“Mmhmm. The sword.. You’ve said-” She said slowly. Cautiously. The witch knew him too well.

“He named me.” He breathed. “Did you know that?”

“Hn? You’ve never told me.”

“He named me a killer. Trained me to be a killer. Forged me. And when I turned out to be one, he-” 

_ And when I turned out to be one, he was disappointed.  _

His mate stirred in his arms, pushing herself upright to look him in his eyes. There was concern on her face. Suddenly embarrassed, he looked away.

“I will not lie to you, mate. This one, too, does not know much about being a parent.” 

She studied his face a moment longer, then chuckled, lying back down. “That’s not true. You had Rin.”

He scoffed. Rin barely needed any parenting. He felt movement from the surface of her belly again. Now that the kicks had stopped incapacitating Kagura every time it happened, he actually...looked forward to them. And he knew she did too.

A little more than four months more before they would meet them.

“Speaking of names,” Kagura said, tugging at his mokomoko to drape them around her better. “Have you thought of any?”

...ah. 

Names for the babes.

He had not.

It was customary for the father to pick the names but his mind had been occupied of late. He shook his head, about to respond when Kagura interrupted.

“I was thinking...we should let Rin name them.”

He blinked. Rin?

“She would be their elder sister, after all.” She sighed, and continued. “And just a few days back, Kohaku was telling me that she’s worried we’ll grow bored of her when the babies are out, now that she’s older.”

He sat up straight, making Kagura startle and shoot him a glare in annoyance. Why did Rin think that? She was his daughter and he-

Tch. He would have words with her in the morning.

“That fool girl.”

She rolled her eyes. “Hey,  _ you _ fool dog. She lives away from you most days of the year, and she addresses you as ‘Lord Sesshoumaru’ like everyone else does. Remind me what her life was like before she found you again? Can you really blame her if she was a little insecure?”

He frowned. There was truth in his mate’s words.

“I did not think-”

“Yeah, yeah, you do not think. I can tell. Anyway, we’re letting her name the babies, okay?”

“Hn.” He nodded. It was a good suggestion. A good opportunity for Rin to improve her letters as well, when she studied to look for suitable name characters.

He fell into silence. Kagura had gotten up to dress back in her nightclothes, and had moved to pour herself some water from the kettle on the hibachi. She had kept her kosode open, and he idly admired the view of her swollen belly standing out starkly in her silhouette. He remained in the futon covers, quietly lamenting the loss of her body heat. The sliding doors were thrown ajar again, as his mate preferred it, and a soft chill flooded the room. The moon was a thin sliver in the distance, highlighting a gentle dusting of snow falling across the sky.

_ The moon was full, when I last spoke to Father. _

Tch. He shook his head. Enough of that.

“What would you have her address me then?” He asked, lazily running a hand through his hair.

She turned, scowling.

“You’re her father.” She replied drily. “Let her call you that.”

Was he? 

A father? 

A guardian, perhaps. Surely not a father. He knew one father in his life and he was nothing like-

He inhaled.

Perhaps it was for the better.

“I will speak with her tomorrow.” He would tell her to address him however she wished. Addressing him as her father might be odd; for too long she had referred to him by his title, and their relationship had never been the conventional sort that a sire would have with their progeny.

But he  _ was  _ her father. As much as he would be to their sons.

If anything, he would try.

Tenseiga rose to the forefront of his mind again. She was a treasure to him now, a blade that was formidable as a weapon as she was for her healing prowess. He had, in the end, pushed her potential further than she was meant to have. He, too, had surpassed Touga in more ways than was expected of him. 

Now, being a parent...

In that, too, he was determined to surpass Father.

He would make certain of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a difficult chapter but I had a fun time writing this! Yall know she pegs him some time after this. Anyway, I hope the smut wasn't too weird 👉👈 It's my first time writing anything like this so I would appreciate any feedback or suggestions!


	10. Hold

Sesshoumaru stood stiffly with Rin fidgeting by his side as they waited outside of the chambers that were meant to serve as Kagura’s birthing chamber when she went into labour. It was equipped with an attached bathroom and privy, futons for the babies, and fully stocked with sufficient medical tools and resources for the physician and midwife’s use. He had requested Kaede to act as midwife at Rin’s insistence, and so had arranged for her living spaces in one of the vacant rooms located in the same vicinity.

His mate was in the tenth month of her pregnancy, and by the crone’s own estimate, the babes would arrive any time in these few days. 

That he was under tremendous stress was an understatement.

A lingering fear that the babes’ youki would flare during labour hung over his mind heavily. He would have done anything to have Kagome be present at the birth. He would have begged, even. But the priestess’ belly had swelled with Inuyasha’s own child, and he owed them enough that it would be on his conscience if any complications arose from her travelling to his keep. 

If the babes’ youki  _ did  _ flare...

He breathed. It was not the time to consider that. He had to post guards, and get Jaken to pick up-

“Don’t worry, old man. Lady Kaede is only doing a check-up.” Rin tugged at his mokomoko, interrupting his thoughts.

Tch. 

He slid his eyes over to glare at her and she brought her hands up to her mouth to stifle her laughter. Rin had taken to calling him that at Inuyasha’s suggestion. He would strangle him, but that would cause a whole host of other problems. Kagura had stubbornly insisted that their sons would have a good relationship with their ‘uncle’ and he was not in a situation right now where he was inclined to deny her anything. Besides, the priestess was pregnant and it would be untoward of him to leave her a widow when she needed her husband.

He rolled his eyes. Still, he had to bring Rin into line. 

“Rin.” He turned to look at her. She was still giggling. “Modelling proper behaviour is expected of you as the elder.”

She beamed as she looked up at him. “Yes, old man! I won’t call you old man in front of the babies! I promise.”

He closed his eyes. This was what sending the girl to live with the humans had amounted to. She had passed her twelfth year at the start of spring, two months ago, and Inuyasha’s influence was distinct. She had recently expressed to Kagura an interest in training to become youkai taijiya. A taijiya! A daiyoukai’s daughter wanting to become a youkai taijiya! Who the fuck would-

He breathed, calming himself and resolving to bring her back to live in the castle after her apprenticeship with the crone was done. No daughter of his was becoming a taijiya at this age. 

The door to the room slid open. He turned.

“Lord Sesshoumaru.” Kaede bowed and beckoned for his entry.

He walked in and Rin raced in after him to sit down next to his mate. Kagura was seated on the raised futon, her legs were hidden in the covers and a hand rested on her belly. Her hair was immaculately done up and she had rouge on. For some reason, she went to great lengths in recent days to hide her exhaustion. She was bare faced when he walked her to the room earlier, so she must have put on the makeup after he had left. He would have rolled his eyes but did not think it wise to agitate her in her state. Instead, he raised a brow. 

She raised hers in return. 

He exhaled. Why did she have to-

“Lord Sesshoumaru.” The crone addressed, and he turned at her croaking voice. “The babes seem to be well on their way. Kagura had indicated that she felt mild cramps in her belly this morning, and again just half an hour past. The opening of her womb has softened as well - she will be going into labour soon, if she has not already.”

His breath caught. 

What? 

Already? 

He had to post guards for- The futons for the babes, were they prepared and cleaned? Their first robes with the seamstress and the food for Kagura as she recuperates, the..Jaken has to collect the-

"Sesshoumaru." He blinked. Kagura. He looked up. One side of her lips have quirked up into a smirk, and her eyes crinkled with amusement.

He exhaled. 

This Sesshoumaru was not one to panic. 

He would not start now.

"The early stage of labour could last for hours or even days.The very earliest they might arrive would be tomorrow evening." Kaede continued. She looked to Kagura. “I will be checking your womb every two hours for now. Make sure to stay relaxed. Move about like you would normally if you could stand it.”

The crone turned to look at him, her lips pursed. 

Why the fuck was she looking at him like that?

“And Lord Sesshoumaru,” she sighed. “Do not stress Kagura beyond what is necessary.”

He glared at her. 

She dared suggest that he was mistreating his mate in any way? She was here at his request but if-

“Lady Kaede means stop hovering and asking Kagura how she’s feeling every time she breathes, old man.” Rin chimed in. Next to her, Kagura chuckled, poking the girl in the ribs and making her squeal.

He frowned at the girl, not deigning to answer. This Sesshoumaru does  _ not _ hover.

“Anyway,” Kaede nodded, beckoning at Rin. “ Rin, come. We have to make preparations. We’ll leave you two to it.”

She bowed and made to leave. Rin gave a quick peck on Kagura’s belly and waved at him as she followed after.

Now alone with his mate, he moved to sit next to her on the futon. He sighed.

“This one was stressing you out?”

She smirked, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. “Weren’t you?”

He placed a clawed hand on her bump. The babies heartbeats have stopped being discernible from hers over the past months as they strengthened and drowned out her own. A flash of anticipation crossed his heart when he felt a brief movement from within.

Much as he was anxious, he could not wait to meet them. 

His sons. 

He breathed. 

“I was simply worried. Mother says birthing is typically the easiest part of the pregnancy for inu-youkai but..” He did not finish the sentence. She was not inu-youkai. They knew that.

“Then I’ll just have to tide it through like human women do then.” She scoffed, then suddenly winced. The babes had kicked. “I survived the first five months of these brats sucking up my youki, I’ll do fine for their birth.”

Perhaps she has forgotten that she had almost died in those first five months. 

He would not. 

He sighed, running his hand through his hair. There was nothing they could do to prepare for any potential birth complications. They had to trust in Kaede. 

She winced again. Under that rouge, her skin was pallid. He frowned.

“Why do you have rouge on again?”

She rolled her eyes. “I wear rouge most of the time. I don’t know when the babies will come, and I want them to familiarise themselves with the scent so they will still recognise me when I have it on.”

He snorted. A ridiculous notion. As if his sons would not be able to tell their own mother’s scent from a little bit of makeup. But he was not keen on arguing with whatever made her more comfortable at the moment.

“Are you able to move?” He asked instead. There were tasks he needed to oversee and the crone did encourage her to keep moving about. “The robes for our sons are still at the seamstress.”

She scoffed, grabbing his hand and shifting to stand up. He supported her at the waist to help her along.

“Let’s go then.”

\-----

Kagura hadn’t told anyone but she’d been cramping since two days ago.

Only slightly, and it wasn’t too frequent, so she didn’t see the need to worry Sesshoumaru further. He had enough to deal with as it was. He was so anxious it was adorable. She had never seen him so openly irritable and volatile even when the prospect of  _ war  _ was on the table. 

And why hadn’t she told her midwife? Who fucking knows? She sure doesn’t. It went against all her instincts to tell someone that she was hurting. Maybe it wasn’t the wisest thing to do but whatever. The preparations for the actual birth were all done. Had been since two weeks ago. She snickered. Sesshoumaru was nothing if not good at giving orders. 

She figured if the babies were coming, everything was ready anyway. She would just zip to the birthing room and get it done. 

She patted her bump. No worries at all. 

She turned her attention back to the seamstress in front of her. She didn’t even know Sesshoumaru kept one on employ, given how he always wore the same things. Kimono lay unwrapped on the table in front of her - a large assortment that the babies would need. Though...would they even need this many? These baby-sized jinbei are ridiculously cute though. A purple set and a blue set, just as she had requested. She unfolded one and lifted it up to inspect it.

Oh gods, it’s so fucking small. Her babies are going to be so tiny and so cute and-

Why the fuck was she tearing up now? She blinked, annoyed. Then she smiled at the seamstress - a solemn inu-youkai with the most dour of expressions she had ever seen on a person. 

She hugged the jinbei to her chest. “I love it.”

The seamstress bowed to indicate her thanks and pulled up another pack and placed it on the table. “These are the more formal kimono, for the naming and weaning ceremonies. They have been embroidered with your insignia as requested, my lord. I have also made furisode with the same motifs, if they turn out to be girls.”

Kagura gasped, grabbing at the tie that kept the pack secured. Baby-sized furisode? She didn’t know that was a thing. She gently shook the bundle out. 

Oh, it was a furisode indeed. She was right when she’d thought that Sesshoumaru would spoil their babies senseless. Silk, and finely made. What do babies even need to wear silk for? She brought it closer to inspect its patterns. Floral motifs trailed up a deep purple field on the sleeves, and a gold fringe ran all along the edges. It was beautiful, and...

It was  _ so small. _

Heavens. It was adorable.

Her heart clenched. A sense of dread crept up unbidden, but she banished it. 

_ Not now. _

She turned to Sesshoumaru next to her, beaming. “Give this woman a raise.”

He snorted, although she saw that he had inclined his head at her comment. She gave the kimono back to the seamstress, who gave her word that she would pack it properly and have it sent to their chambers.

She grabbed his arm for support as they left the sewing room - her balance was not in the best of shape recently on account of the fact that her belly had swelled to a ridiculous size.

After Kaede’s assessment of her labour progress, they had first gone to the kitchens, then to his guardhouse, then to the seamstress. They were headed back to her birthing rooms now so that she could rest.

She sighed. The birthing room. 

Where she would be giving birth. 

Where two living beings were going to be pulled forth from her thrice-cursed body.

She swallowed. 

She didn’t want to get back there so soon.

A sense of trepidation gripped her heart as they walked along the corridors, growing with her each step. She took a deep breath. The birth won’t be happening for several hours yet. Even if the babies did come earlier than Kaede’s estimation, it was fine. She was ready. She had nothing to be worried about. She could do this. She could-

She stopped in her tracks, hands gripping tightly onto her husband’s arm.

No, she wasn’t ready.

Who the fuck did she think she was kidding?

She wasn’t ready. Sesshoumaru had turned to look at her, a question in his eyes. He couldn’t know she- She’s not a mother- She can’t-

She inhaled deeply, her vision blurring as tears burned the edges of her eyes again.

“Do you hurt?”

She couldn’t answer. What would she say?

She swallowed.

She had to leave. Now. She could-

Sesshoumaru cradled her jaw. She looked up. His eyes were...

She turned away. She couldn’t look at them. She didn’t deserve to. She had to... She had to-

“Kagura.”

What the fuck was she thinking? What would she do if she left?

_ She had to trust him. _

“Sesshoumaru, I- Fuck-”

She screwed her eyes shut. Tears spilled from the brim and ran down her cheeks.

“Mate.” Concern laced his voice. “What is the matter? Do you hurt?”

She took a deep straggling breath.

“Naraku’s blood runs in my body.” She blurted, her voice coming out as a harsh whisper. “What if it passed on to them? What if I made our babies...tainted?”

_ I’m...no mother.  _

_ I’ll fuck them up. _

_ They’ll be a mess and it’ll be my fault. _

And then she was sobbing. 

Loud, ugly sobs. 

It wracked her body. She pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes, distantly feeling a deep mortification at her public display of emotions yet being too far gone to stop it. 

The anxieties that had been building up in her heart for the past months poured out together with her tears. It was the sort of sobbing that left one gasping for breath. She cried for her babies. Sons, or daughters, whatever they would be. 

She cried...for they were the children of Naraku’s daughter, and their mother had condemned them even before they were born.

He let her cry, grabbing hold of her hand to loop around his arm. 

He stood next to her in silence as she sobbed. She gripped his arm tightly, fearing for some unwarranted reason that he would leave if she let him slip away, nevermind that he was the one who placed her hand on his arm in the first place.

He was...so warm.

Then, eventually, he took a step forward, keeping a firm hold on her hand so she had to follow.

“Kagura.”

She heard him, but could not bring herself to respond. 

He continued, whispering. “My hands have known nothing but the grip of blades. I have known no purpose in my life except to kill for what I want. I have lived like that for centuries.”

He..what?

What the fuck is he going on about now? She swiped at her eyes, though tears continued their flow. 

She let herself be led forwards as he tugged on her hands. His voice was soft, barely audible in the gentle breezes of the late spring air that flitted across her ears. She had to focus to catch what he was saying.

“I am a disappointment to my parents. When I took my father’s title, my mother actively worked to distance her name from mine. The loyalty gained from my retainers is through no effort of my own, but by my father’s reputation, or with coin.”

She sniffed, wiping her eyes with her sleeve again, frowning. That’s not true at all. Those who pledge fealty to him were-

“Those close to me have all died once, due to my own inaction and failure.” He exhaled. “Rin. I failed her. She was dead from my ambition. I am no father.”

“Sesshoumaru, that’s not-”

“ _ You _ died. My own mate. I failed you.”

“Sess-”

“I have dreams of our sons turning against me when they learn of my past disdain of Inuyasha for being hanyou.” He stopped walking, turning to face her. “And if that did come to pass, they would’ve been right to do so. I failed them, even before their conception.”

He looked at her through his lashes - golden eyes so intense they bored right into her heart. 

“Mate, if our sons turn out to be more like their mother,” he breathed, “this Sesshoumaru would only be  _ relieved _ .”

She blinked away the last of her tears, then dried her cheeks with her sleeve. This stupid, brainless dog. Why was he-

He released his hold on her hand, and moved to embrace her from her back. He pressed his nose to the side of her face, nudging at her cheek. A slight shift, and his lips were at her ear.

He whispered. 

“Naraku has no hold over you.”

She snapped her eyes shut.

“He never had.”

Her eyes burned with the onset of fresh tears. “But what if-"

“He is  _ gone.  _ As my father is. They have no hold over us.” He exhaled, tickling her ears. “We can tell our sons stories of their errant grandfathers when they are older. Teach them better.”

She snickered despite her tears. This stupid, stupid dog-

Sesshoumaru pulled her closer, pressing his nose to her hair, one hand over her shoulders and the other over her bump where her babies lay. 

She took a deep breath. 

She...She would do fine.

She could do this.

_ She had him. _

She lay her hand over his, feeling some slight movements from her womb. Her babies were moving around a lot today - seemed like they were impatient to arrive too. She breathed. The late spring air was warmer now, but it still left a slight chill on her skin. 

She liked it. It was just right. A good time for her babies to be born.

She  _ could  _ do this.

She closed her eyes, for a moment just savouring the warmth of his body behind her. It was nice, but the display of affection was more public than she liked. Mortification at her embarrassing behaviour caught up at last, and she felt a flush creeping up her neck. Perhaps she should have waited until they were alone before she attempted this conversation with him. 

Too late for that now.

“There are servants around.” She sniffed and dragged her knuckles over her eyes, shrugging her shoulders to loosen his hold on her. 

He maintained his hold, scoffing. “My castle, my mate. Let them look.”

She chuckled, and the last of her fears faded to a trickle. Who knew her husband had this side to him? It was-

Contractions started in waves from her belly. She stiffened, gritting her teeth. 

Huh, this one was...

“Are our sons kicking harder than usual today?” He said, rubbing at her bump. He must have felt it too.

“No,” she shook her head. “It’s just another cra-”

She dug her nails into her palms as it started up again, gasping.

This was stronger. It felt almost similar to before, when the twins’ youki overpowered hers..

Well, fuck.

He might as well know.

She swallowed. “I’ve been having cramps for the past two days.”

He froze. He stopped embracing her and moved to look at her, eyes narrowing.

She rolled her eyes. 

“What? I didn’t think it was a big deal, ok?”

He growled. “Kagura.”

“It’s fine, Kaede is here, isn’t she? The birthing room isn’t so far off. I can pop in any time I-”

Another cramp wracked her body. She gasped. Oh, this one hurt. It felt just like before, and she...

She looked down. She’d wet herself. 

What?

Oh.

Oh, fuck.

_ Fuck. _

She looked up. Sesshoumaru’s nostrils flared, and his eyes widened with recognition of the scent. 

He growled, and swept her off her feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whewww so I know I said that I would end this work at chapter ten, but as I wrote I realised I had a little bit more to write than expected lol so now there's one more.
> 
> Sorry if they're a little ooc in this chapter. I struggled with it for a bit but I figured pregnancy stress affects everyone alike, even if the parents in question are a sassy bitchy sorceress and her arrogant himbo demon husband.
> 
> Let me know what you think of this chapter as well? All feedback and suggestions are welcome please! 🥺🥺


	11. Daughters

Rin had not been so excited in a long, long time.

Sure, she had witnessed births in the village, and sure, she had helped Lady Kaede make preparations for the equipment and materials needed for assisting with labouring mothers. This wasn’t her first day as a healer’s apprentice. But this was the first time she would actually be directly involved with assisting a woman in labour. 

And the woman in question was her mother. Kagura.

Rin didn’t call her mother, of course, the same way she did not call Sesshoumaru her father. Her own mother had died very very long ago. She knew that. But Kagura  _ was  _ her mother. She cared for Rin, made sure Rin was safe, and she taught Rin how to do her hair up nicely and how to fight if someone had her cornered. 

She had cooked too, once, for a picnic with just both of them when Sesshoumaru was out doing cool lordly things. It was an experiment that went horribly, and they both agreed to leave the cooking to the kitchen staff in the castle from then on. 

Rin shuddered at that memory. It was  _ bad.  _ The food was, at least. The rest of the picnic was actually fun but-

She shook her head. 

Focus, Rin!

Kagura has gone into active labour. Lady Kaede estimated the babies would be arriving in about two hours or so now, having shooed Sesshoumaru away just a few minutes ago, for the presence of his youki might make the birthing process tougher. He had accepted weeks ago that he would not be present during the last few stages of the birth, but he still kicked a fuss when her sensei told him to leave. His glare could have roasted raw meat, but Lady Kaede didn’t take any nonsense like that, daiyoukai or otherwise. 

Rin sighed. Unfortunate for her, that her apprenticeship still had a few years to go yet. But for now, her role was important. 

Assisting Kagura in giving birth to  _ her sisters. _

Yeah, yeah, the old man thinks he’s having sons, but she’s not too sure about that, nor did Kagura. What’s the point of having more boys? One sulky man was enough for the whole family. Kagura said she’d be glad to have either boys or girls, or a boy  _ and  _ a girl, because it didn’t matter too much to her. 

But Rin knew better.

She’s having sisters. 

She’s sure of it. 

At least, she wished really really hard that she was having sisters. Oh, she would love them too if they were boys - she would adore any child of theirs - but it’s just  _ much _ nicer if they were girls. A jittery energy pulsed through her body at that thought. She would have gone outside to scream if she could. She was just so _excited_.

But alas, she had duties.

Duties which she took very very seriously. 

She would be in charge of guiding Kagura’s breathing exercises, and helping to clean the babies when they were out. She had already started pots of water boiling, and prepared several pieces of clean cloth ready for Lady Kaede’s use. 

Oh, and she was in charge of making sure Sesshoumaru kept out of the birthing room when the babies were delivered. He shouldn’t enter until the completion of labour, and that meant after the placenta had been delivered and Kagura is cleaned up too. The old man will definitely hear when the first baby arrived, but it would  _ not _ do if he barged in. 

Nope, Rin will make sure that he doesn’t. 

Kagura paced in the room, taking slow and small steps. She didn’t look like she was in much pain, but Rin knew better. Her old man would not marry any woman who wasn’t at least as stubborn and proud as he. So Rin held her arm to support her as she paced, pausing with her everytime she had a contraction. 

Oh, she’s having another contraction now. Kagura’s grip on her tightened, and Rin saw that her jaw was clenched tight. This hurt her pretty badly, not that she would ever admit it.

See? Stubborn, and proud. Rin would have sighed if she didn’t think Lady Kaede would rap her knuckles for that. She hoped the babies weren’t as obstinate as their parents, or she’d be the only sane one in the family. 

“Kagura, let’s rest for a moment, ok?” She asked, noting how her mother only nodded instead of vocalising her response. She helped her slowly to sit on the futon, then moved to shift her legs as well. She turned to Lady Kaede; her sensei had approached, probably to check on the opening of Kagura’s womb again. 

While she checked, Rin took a towel to Kagura’s forehead, wiping away her sweat and pushing her hairs away. Hmm, she wondered if her sisters would have Kagura’s black hair or Sesshoumaru’s silvery one? Oh, would they have tiny puppy ears like Inuyasha? She pursed her lips to keep from giggling at that image. That would be too cute! Sesshoumaru would  _ hate  _ that. Or maybe he wouldn’t? They’re his babies after all and-

Lady Kaede stood, giving her a terse nod. She had finished her assessment.

Oh!

Yes, yes, yes, it was time!

_ Her sisters are coming! _

Rin snapped to attention, jumping to her feet. 

_ They are coming! _

“Kagura, it is time. Rin will guide you on your breathing. Listen to my guidance to push.” Lady Kaede instructed, her voice firm.

Rin turned and grinned at Kagura. Her face was pale, her rouge lightly smudged. Rin would wipe that off for her later, when she’s in too much pain to object.

She was beautiful anyway.

Her mother smirked, despite her breathlessness. She lifted a finger to poke at Rin’s cheek. “I’ll be depending on you then, sunflower.”

She giggled. She would. She meant to do a good job.

“Ok, Kagura! A deep breath in…”

\-----

Sesshoumaru growled, pacing. It had been two hours since he was banished from the birthing chamber. He could feel his scleras burning, and his youki flared at intervals. He  _ knew  _ he should not be anywhere near Kagura. He knew it for a fact. The crone had warned him off, and it had been decided and agreed upon even before Kagura went into her tenth month of gestation. 

That did not stop him from needing to be beside her. 

Beside  _ them _ .

The first babe was born just a few moments ago. He had heard its cries, heard Kagura’s gasping moans. It took iron-tight control over all of his being not to knock the thin wall separating the corridor from the room down and go to his mate.

His instincts had roared at him. To move, to do something. 

Anything, instead of just standing there.

And then Rin had slid open the door just a hair, and begged. The babes were reacting to his youki, she had said, and begged him to move further away from the birthing chamber. 

His claws sank into his palms. He would not forgive himself if he had hurt them, but..

He snarled. Then he moved. Down the corridor. Still within reach should they send for him. 

He breathed, eyes closed and consciously seeking to calm his youki. It was a wild blaze that emanated from his body and it took effort to rein it in. He focussed on his breath, pulling the mass that was his youki back in closer to his body with each inhale. Emptied his mind and settled it into a cyclical rhythm. Good.

Focus on the breath.

Kagura was in good hands. The woman herself was unbelievably strong.

She could do this. 

He trusted the midwife. He trusted Rin.

He trusted her.

...good. A mask of restraint was back on his being, and his youki had been reined in to normalcy. His eyes no longer burned behind his lids. Good, good. Now, all he had to do was-

His eyes flew open.

Youki. Foreign.

It clashed heavily with his own. 

He snarled. A daiyoukai? At this timing?

His hand snapped to his swords as he dashed back to the door of the birthing room. He breathed deeply, sensing for any unfamiliar scents. His guards snapped to attention. They had protocols in place in case of intru-

_ No. _

He froze. No, not an intruder. He lifted a hand, a signal to his guards to stand down.

It could not be but...

The second babe. The younger. 

It screamed with a fury to herald its arrival. 

This...was the child’s youki?

He frowned. 

Impossible. It rivaled his own.

He reached for the sliding doors, about to push it open when Rin beat him to it, sliding it open from the inside.

“Sesshoumaru!” She was grinning, sweat plastered her hair to her forehead and she pushed those back eagerly with her sleeves. “Sesshoumaru, both the babies are here. No! You cannot come in yet.”

She had put up her hands, beckoning for him to step back. He was surprised at the fierceness in her eyes. 

His eyes narrowed. "Rin. Move."

She jutted her chin out. "No. Sesshoumaru, you promised! Kagura has more work to do. I just wanted to let you know she’s fine, the babies are fine. So quit worrying! Be patient, and I’ll tell you when you can come in!”

He growled, but acquiesced. That did not explain the sudden surge of youki but he breathed, feeling a weight lifting from his shoulders. Kagura was safe, and so were his sons. They were born, without complications, and his mate was fine. 

He closed his eyes.

_ Relief, finally. _

Rin moved to close the doors, turning back to the interior. She had almost shut it when she suddenly threw it open again.

She grinned. “Oh! And Rin was right! They are  _ girls _ !”

He blinked. 

And the door slid shut in his face.

His breath caught. He found himself frozen.

_ “They are girls!” _

Girls.

Kagura had given birth to daughters.

His daughters.

\-----

  
  


Rin would later insist that he had barely waited for less than a half hour, but it seemed to him grueling hours had passed before Kaede - at last - opened up the doors to the birthing room and allowed him in. She barely spoke a word to him, grunting her congratulations and telling him to let Kagura rest as much as it was possible, then left for the rooms assigned to her with a nod. 

She was exhausted, he belatedly realised. She was old for a human, and helping Kagura birth their daughters had worn her out. 

He frowned. Kagura and the babes are hale. For that alone he would be sure to reward her handsomely for her service.

He stepped into the room, finding himself hesitant now that he was allowed in. Kagura’s scent was everywhere, overpowering everything else. He breathed deeply, taking her presence in. She was-

He exhaled. There she was. 

Eyes closed, with pillows propping her back up. Her hair had been let down for her comfort, and while there had visibly been an attempt to sweep it back, a few strands still lay plastered on her neck and forehead. Rin sat next to her, adjusting the covers and dabbing a towel to her forehead.

Kagura opened her eyes as he approached, and gave a wan smile. Her breath was steady despite her weakened demeanor and in her arms-

His eyes widened.

Two bundles. One pressed to her breast in her open kosode and another cradled in her other arm. The babes. 

His...daughters.

His heart raced.

Rin turned as he neared, jumping up and flashing the whites of her teeth. She, too, looked like she had exerted herself. The ends of her hair were wet, and her thin kosode was soaked through with sweat.

“Sesshoumaru, congratulations!” She whispered in excited tones as she greeted him with a hug. He laid a hand on her head. A surge of gratitude welled up in his heart.

She did good. 

“Rin.” 

She looked up, grinning.

“Thank you.”

She responded to that by hugging him tighter, then released him, patting down her kosode and straightening her obi. She tucked the sides of her fringe behind her ears and cleared her throat. Her smile disappeared, a solemn expression replacing it.

Kagura chuckled softly. He raised a brow.

“Sesshoumaru, Kagura, I would like to officially announce the babies’ names. Thank you for entrusting this task to me.” She gave a shallow bow.

“I took a long time to think of the names. I wanted them to mean something to the both of you, and I believe I have found them.” She smiled resolutely, her head held high. 

Ah.

She was a child yet but...

His Rin was growing up.

“The elder is Towa,” she gestured to the babe at Kagura’s breast. “And the younger, Setsuna.”

He blinked, turning to look at Kagura. She caught his eye, and smiled. 

Towa and Setsuna.

An eternity and an instant.

He breathed. These names were...good. 

He placed a hand on Rin’s head, and tugged her close, holding her to his chest. “Thank you, Rin.”

She returned the embrace, giggling. 

A moment later, she pulled away. Her eyes were weary and she yawned with a hand to her mouth. Helping with Kagura’s labouring had stretched past her usual bedtime. 

“I will write the characters out properly for oshichiya! I practised for it! But um, I’m a little tired now and if it’s okay, I wanna take a bath and rest for a bit. If that’s okay, Sesshomaru?”

He nodded. She had worked so hard. 

She gave him another hug, and then embraced Kagura, pausing for a moment to give a light pat on the babes’ heads. Then she left, rubbing at her eyes. Leaving him alone with his mate.

And his daughters. 

He swallowed, hesitant. He found himself...unsure what to do.

Kagura shifted slightly in the futon, her movement causing the swaddling cloth closer to her chest to uncover the babes’ head.

His breath caught.

A shocking head of silver.

Like his own. 

This was...Towa. The elder twin.

She was so small. She could fit in his hand. She-

“Rin did so well.” Kagura breathed. “I couldn’t have done it without her.”

He pulled his eyes from those silvery tufts of hair, and moved to settle himself next to his mate. He pressed his nose to her temple, inhaling her scent. The same burnt scent. It would not fade yet, not for a few months.

“Yes, she did. And you did well, too.” He whispered. “How are you feeling? Do you hurt?”

She shook her head. “I’m healing. Though,” she scoffed, “I’m never doing this again, I’ll have you know. At least not in this century.”

He nodded. He had never expected this of her, and would never ask this of her ever again. He looked down. The babe was suckling at her breast. Her skin was pink, her eyes closed. Was Kagura lactating already? And the other...Setsuna. The swaddle obscured her appearance from his angle. Was she asleep?

“Kaede placed her at my breast the moment she got cleaned up. She’s been nursing ever since. I’m not sure there’s anything for her yet though.” She whispered, seeming to have read his thoughts.

He reached out with a hand towards Towa - the babe closer to him - then thought better of it and retracted. He frowned. His claws were not meant for holding-

“Here. You can hold this one first. She fell asleep soon after she’d arrived.” She shifted Setsuna closer to him, wincing as she did so.

He frowned. He could not- He would hurt her.

He could not forgive himself if he did.

“No.”

“Hn?” Her voice carried a hint of annoyance. “Why the fuck not? She’s your daughter.”

He sighed. She misunderstood.

“...This one would hurt her.”

She scoffed.

“No, you wouldn’t. She’s strong. Didn’t you feel her ridiculous youki when she arrived?” She moved. “Hold your arm in the same position as mine, I’ll show you.”

He frowned deeper, but did as she had instructed. Kagura moved closer and placed the bundle in his arms.

And then he was holding her.

His blood pounded in his ears. Setsuna. He was holding Setsuna. 

His daughter.

He swallowed.

Her hair was black, like her mother’s. A stark contrast with Towa’s. He brought his free hand forward, and then, slowly, carefully, rested it on the back of her head.

Her head barely filled his palm. She was so small. 

This was...his daughter.

Unbidden tears clouded his vision. He blinked. Surprised.

Next to him, his mate chuckled. 

“Look at her. Not even a day old and yet bringing the great Lord Sesshoumaru to tears, huh?” She whispered, leaning closer. “I think you’re the first person in the world to do that, Setsuna.”

He ignored her comment, blinking again and clearing his eyes.

“Her youki?” He asked instead. It did not feel like it did earlier.

“Hn, didn't you feel it?”

He nodded, using his thumb to gently trace his daughter's eyebrow, conscious of his claws. Her closed eyes twitched slightly at his touch. Her lashes were long, and they fanned out under her eyelids. A smile tugged at his lips.

"I thought it was an intruder at first."

She chuckled. "Both their youki flared when they arrived. They’re stupid strong like their father."

“Both?” He cocked his head. He only felt it once, when the younger was born. Had that feeling been the combination of their youki flaring at the same time, triggered when Setsuna joined her twin outside of the womb?

“Yeah, it caught me by surprise. Their youki are so much stronger than it felt when they were inside. But the first one...Towa, she pulled it in almost instantly. It’s still here, I can feel it.”

He frowned. He was only feeling a faint energy from the one that he held. Nothing felt like that flare which he had sensed earlier.

“Here. You can only feel it when you’re touching her.” She grabbed his wrist, pulling it close to the babe at her breast. And there, he felt it. 

An intense halo of youki, coiled so tightly around his daughter’s body it sat like a second skin. 

It shocked him. It was a dense well of power.

Too much, this was too much youki for a newborn. How-

He stared at where the back of his hand touched the warm and soft skin of the babe’s cheek, stunned. This technique of holding youki so closely with the physical body... He himself had trained extensively in the later half of his first century to perfect it. He had trained for  _ years.  _ He cradled her head with his palm, moving it slightly around and feeling at the pulse of energy. No variations, no leaks. The youki was a uniform layer.

Did she do this instinctively?

How? With no training, and being newborn...

He blinked. 

Kagura had birthed a  _ prodigy _ .

He turned to his mate. Her expression was serene, a small smile on her lips as she gently stroked their daughter’s cheek. She did not yet realise the full implications of this - what it meant about the raw power that resided in her tiny child's body.

He would explain it to her at length later.

“I feel it. It is strong.” He nodded. “And the younger?”

The babe started squirming in his arms just as he mentioned her, opening her mouth into a small yawn. He blinked at the sudden surge of affection that blossomed in his heart.

She was...adorable.

“Setsuna needed more coaxing to relax her youki. Didn’t you, Setsuna?” Kagura cooed. She looked at him, smiling. “That’s what you felt, probably. It flared so intensely and suddenly, I felt my own being smothered.”

She brought a hand to the babe’s downy black hair. “Taking after your grouchy father already, hm?”

He frowned at his mate. He was not-

A soft growl, and a hiss. He looked down at his daughter, who was squirming beneath her swaddling cloth. Her small mouth was curled into a snarl, and her cheeks..

A jagged magenta stripe on each cheek. 

His eyes widened. 

Touga’s markings.

Her youki hit him like a wave. 

Oh.

_ This.  _

This was what he had felt, outside of the birthing room.

The one he had mistaken for a daiyoukai.

He felt his own lips stretching into a grin, his heart swelling with pride. His daughters were impossibly strong. 

Both of them.

And this one was challenging him. 

Kagura nudged him. 

“Hey, what the fuck did you do? You woke her up.” She caught sight of his face, and started. “Hey, stop fucking smiling. You’re gonna scare them.”

“They will be blind for a while yet.” He turned to her, curiously finding himself unable to school his features as he had meant to do. He turned back to the struggling bundle in his arms. The babe’s eyes were still sealed shut and her tiny mouth was too young to bear fangs, but she growled with a ferocity that did not match her small frame.

He stared, transfixed. He brushed his thumb over one of her stripes, and she hissed.

He found himself laughing, his heart overflowing with affection. “Your daughter is challenging me.”

“What?” Kagura snapped, incredulous.

“She had sensed an unfamiliar youki and scent, and her first instinct is to bare fangs which she have yet to grow.” 

He grinned. She would be a power, as would her twin.

He was sure of it. 

“You are too young, daughter.” He whispered. “Perhaps try again in a few centuries. I may accept your challenge then.”

He held her firmly, supporting her head and bringing his face close to nuzzle at her nose. He slowed his breath, exhaling deeply, then inhaling again. Hn, she bore Kagura’s scent still. He repeated the breathing cycle, pleased when he felt her following his rhythm.

His mother had done this with him when he was younger. It may just-

It worked.

The pulse of her youki faded as quickly as it had surged. He moved apart from her and looked. Her cheeks now unmarred where her magenta stripes previously laid. He gently stroked it with his thumb.

His daughter yawned, her mouth forming a small ‘o’. She had fallen back into sleep as quickly as she had awakened.

“What did you do?” His mate whispered, she had sat up and leaned forwards to look at Setsuna, her voice laced with a quiet wonder.

“It was something Mother used to do.” He answered, finding himself mesmerised by Setsuna’s sleeping form. “As a child I had difficulty regaining control after shifting out of my beast form. She would breathe with her nose next to mine, and I would find my way back with her scent as a guide. That was not my intention here, though it worked out. I just wanted her to familiarise herself to my scent.”

“Oh.” She leaned back down, sighing as she did while her hand idly patted the babe in her arms. Towa had stopped suckling, and she flipped her kosode close. “Do you think I could do that for them too?”

He raised a brow. “Yes.”  _ Of course she could. _

“Hn. Just thought it might be something only inu-youkai did. You looked so much like a dog cuddling their puppy back there.”

Hn? She was teasing.

Tch.

And so what if he did? 

He ignored her jibe but finally pulled his eyes away from his sleeping daughter and looked at Kagura. She was healing, that much was true. Not having two smaller beings drinking away at her strength had immediate effects on her healing abilities, it seemed. The colour had returned to her cheeks since he first entered the room, and her eyes were bright. He brought his free hand up to her face and swept away the strands of hair that still clung to her skin. She looked up, and met his eyes.

His heart clenched. She was shockingly beautiful.

She always had been.

It occurred to him suddenly - that he had almost lost her. That had the twins flared their youki while they were still in her womb, she could have died. The stresses of the past day caught up with him, but he steeled himself, setting his spine stiffly.

He would not show weakness. 

He closed his eyes.

Not now.

He moved closer, close enough to nuzzle at her temple. He breathed deeply, seeking comfort from her scent, her familiar warmth. A thought crossed his mind, that she would soon revert to her usual scent of the storm and the seas. 

He calmed. That was something he would look forward to.

He pressed his lips to her ears. “Thank you.”  _ For birthing our daughters. For not leaving.  _

_ For...everything. _

_ She was everything. _

She laughed. “Yeah, you’re welcome. I did an amazing job, I know.”

She did.

She poke him in the ribs, chuckling. “Also, this might be the first time I’ve ever heard you laugh? If I had known all it would take was giving birth to your babies, I would have done it earlier.”

He snorted, pulling her closer. He looked down. Towa was fidgeting in her swaddling blanket now that she had stopped suckling. She made small mewling sounds as Kagura cooed at her. Her eyes, like her twin, were shut tight, but a giggle burst forth from her mouth when her mother gave her a gentle tap on the very tip of her nose with a finger. 

His heart warmed. 

For all Kagura worried about being a mother, she had slipped into the role as easily as the wind manipulated the clouds.

One of Towa's arms had wormed out of her swaddle cloth. She grabbed on to a strand of Kagura's hair with tiny fingers. His mate winced, but laughed, carefully adjusting the blanket to wrap her arm back in.

He blinked.

He...wanted to hold this one too.

But that meant he would have to let go of Setsuna. And he...did not want to. He frowned. Kagura was not likely to let him hold both the girls at once. He could ask, but annoying her was a poor way of showing appreciation for how hard she had pushed her body to birth their daughters.

He looked back down at the babe in his arms, admiring her long lashes that stood out starkly against her pink cheeks. What would her eyes look like, when she finally opened them a few weeks later? What would Towa’s? 

He brought her close and nuzzled at her hair, breathing in Kagura’s scent as he did. Next to him, Towa giggled - a soft bubbly sound - just as she stuck her other arm out of her blanket. 

He snorted. Rascal. Kagura had just wrapped the first one back in. 

Tch. 

He would hold her later. He just had to wait until Kagura had slept. Then he could hold them both.

His daughters had kept him up for weeks at a go even before they were born. 

He would do so again.

As often as it was needed.

\--- End ---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's done 😭😭😭😭 Thank you so much to everyone who had been supporting me for this fic thus far, leaving me comments, suggestions, reviews, and even encouragement! I did not expect much because this was my first fic (and honestly my way to cope with the mess that is y*shahime), but it really was so much more fun than I had expected and I'll definitely be writing more in the future!
> 
> I have so many thoughts about sesskagu being parents so that's coming next. Probably. 
> 
> Anyway, I would appreciate if you would let me know your thoughts about this one as well 🥺🥺
> 
> Thank you all so much once again! 🖤


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